How to Say "Hi" in Spanish - How To Say Guide

hola

/ˈola/

In Spanish, hola is the way to say hi.

hola is a friendly, informal greeting. It is a common way to say hi in Uruguay suitable for all situations and people of all ages.

Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Uruguay, hola is a common way to say hi that works for all people and all situations.

/ˈola/

English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the 'h' in hola as a breathy sound like in the English word 'hot', but it should be completely silent.

There is a linguistic theory that hola might be related to the Arabic expression 'wal-lāh', meaning 'by God!', though most linguists find this connection unproven.
In some Spanish-speaking cultures, hola is often accompanied by a single kiss on the right cheek when greeting friends or family.
In digital communication, Spanish speakers often write holii or holis to make the greeting sound cuter or more casual.

¡Hola! ¿Qué tal estás?
Hi! How are you?
This sentence shows how to use hola when asking how someone is.
Tatoeba #535238 by Shishir, translation #30316 by Zifre
Hola chicos, soy Mike.
Hi guys, I'm Mike.
This sentence shows how to use hola when addressing a group.
Tatoeba #1020897 by Shishir, translation #1020895 by CP
¡Hola! Soy nuevo aquí.
Hi! I'm new here.
This sentence shows how to use hola when introducing yourself as a newcomer.
Tatoeba #1666523 by marcelostockle, translation #1654229 by Spamster
75 more sentences on Tatoeba

Daniel and Lucía meet in a coffee shop.

Sources

Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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