Hola
neutral
To say hi to a guy, use Hola. It does not change for a man, and you can add his name or a word like amigo to make it friendlier. It is also called ¿Qué tal? and Buenas.
Meaning: casual greeting to a male friend (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | neutral |
| ¿Qué tal? | casual |
| Buenas | casual |
Between friends ¿Qué tal? asks "how is it going?" and Buenas is a short, relaxed greeting that works at any time of day.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
With an older man or someone you do not know, Hola followed by buenos días or buenas tardes and señor sounds more respectful.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico friends often say ¿Qué onda? In Spain ¿Qué pasa? is common.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hola is silent, so it sounds like "OH-la".
Did you know?
- Hola comes from the same family of greetings as English "hello", but in Spanish it is used equally with friends, coworkers and shop staff.
Examples in context
- Hola, Mateo. ¿Qué tal?Hi, Mateo. How is it going?
- Hola, amigo.Hi, my friend.
- Buenas, ¿cómo andas?Hey, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Iván runs into his friend Sergio outside a café.
- IvánHola, Sergio. ¿Qué tal?Hi, Sergio. How is it going?
- SergioHola, Iván. Todo bien, ¿y tú?Hi, Iván. All good, and you?
- IvánBien también. ¿Tomamos un café?Good too. Shall we have a coffee?
