oi
/ˈoj/
In Portuguese, "hi" can be translated as oi. Wiktionary also lists olá and alô.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| oi | /ˈoj/ (Brazil) /ˈoj/ (Portugal) |
| olá | /oˈla/ (Brazil) /ɔˈla/ (Portugal) |
| alô | /aˈlo/ (Brazil) /aˈlo/ (Portugal) |
| e ai? | /ˈɛ ˈaj/ (Brazil, word by word) |
Portuguese uses several different expressions to say hi depending on the context. While olá is a general way to say "hi" or "hello" that can be used at any time of day, alô is used specifically to answer the telephone, not as a general greeting in person. For a more casual greeting among friends, you can use the slang expression e aí? which means "what's up?"
Which one should you use?
oi is more informal and common in daily conversation than olá. While olá works as a general "hello" at any time, you might also use time-specific greetings like Bom dia (good morning) until the afternoon or Boa tarde (good afternoon) from around noon until early evening.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoj/
Did you know?
- Although oi sounds exactly like the English 'oi', it is a friendly greeting in Portuguese rather than a rude way to get someone's attention.
- In Portugal, olá is used much more frequently in daily life than it is in Brazil, where oi dominates the casual landscape.
- The slang greeting e aí? uses the word aí, which literally means 'there', effectively asking 'what is happening over there'.
Examples in context
- Oi, sou o Tom.Hi, I'm Tom.This sentence shows how to use oi to introduce yourself.Tatoeba #6774455 by Ricardo14, translation #5576200 by CK
- Oi! Como vai você?Hi! How are you?This sentence shows how to use oi when asking how someone is.Tatoeba #1473097 by rafael8243, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Oi, você está bem?Hi, are you OK?This sentence shows how to use oi when checking if someone is okay.Tatoeba #3076163 by Ricardo14, translation #505937 by 8684
- Boa tarde, tudo bem?Good afternoon, how are you?
- Boa tarde! Tudo ótimo, e contigo?Good afternoon! Everything is great, and you?
- Bom dia! Como passaste o fim de semana?Good morning! How was your weekend?
- Olá, precisa de ajuda?Hi, do you need any help?
- Olá! Estou apenas a ver, obrigado.Hi! I'm just looking, thank you.
- 74 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel arrives at a small party where Juliana is waiting.
- JulianaOi, Gabriel! Que bom te ver.Hi, Gabriel! It is good to see you.
- GabrielOi, Juliana! Tudo bem?Hi, Juliana! Is everything okay?
- JulianaTudo ótimo, e com você?Everything is great, and with you?
- GabrielTudo bem também.Everything is fine too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries oi, olá, alô, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (e, ai) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ai, alô, e, oi, olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
