Ways to say it
| Filipino | IPA |
|---|---|
| helo | /heˈlo/ (Standard Tagalog) /heˈlow/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| hoy | /ˈhoj/ (Standard Tagalog) |
The word helo is a colloquial adaptation of the English 'hello' and is used in casual settings among friends. You might also use hoy to get someone's attention, though this is more abrupt.
Which one should you use?
While helo is a friendly greeting, hoy is a more abrupt way to get someone's attention, similar to 'hey!' in English. Depending on the tone, hoy is often used to call out to someone from a distance or to express surprise/annoyance.
How do you pronounce it?
/heˈlo/
When do people say it?
For formal situations, Filipino speakers use time-specific greetings with the respectful particle 'po': Magandang umaga po. is widely used until around noon, Magandang tanghali po. is used during the midday hours, Magandang hapon po. is used during the afternoon hours until early evening, and Magandang gabi po. is commonly used after sunset. In very informal settings, you may also encounter Musta?, which is the shortened version of Kamusta?
Did you know?
- The shortened greeting Musta? is a contraction of Kamusta?, which itself originates from the Spanish phrase ¿Cómo está?
- If you use the word hoy with an elder, it can be perceived as extremely rude or even aggressive, whereas with friends, it is merely casual.
- Depending on the pitch and length of the vowel, hoy can change from a friendly shout to an expression of anger or shock.
Examples in context
- Magandang umaga po.Good morning, sir/ma'am.
- Magandang tanghali po.Good noon, sir/ma'am
- Magandang hapon po.Good afternoon, sir/ma'am.
- Magandang gabi po.Good evening, sir/ma'am.
- Kumusta po kayo?How are you, sir/ma'am?
- Kamusta?Hi or How are you?
Example conversation
Christina and Juan meet at a coffee shop.
- ChristinaHelo, Juan!Hi, Juan!
- JuanHelo, Christina!Hi, Christina!
- ChristinaAnong ginagawa mo rito?What are you doing here?
- JuanUminom lang ako ng kape.I'm just drinking coffee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries helo, hoy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
