Hola, niño
/ˈola ˈniɲo/word by word
The English phrase 'hi, kid' is translated into Spanish as Hola, niño.
Depending on the situation, you might use different variations: ¡Hola, chaval! and ¡Hola, chavala! are informal ways to say 'hi, kid!' to a boy and a girl respectively, while ¡Hola, campeón! is an informal way to greet a boy with enthusiasm, meaning 'Hi, champ!' Additionally, Hola, pequeño is a common, more affectionate way to say 'hi, kid' or 'hi, little one' to a young boy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Many variations are informal. For example, ¡Hola, chaval! and ¡Hola, chavala! are informal greetings for a boy and girl and ¡Hola, campeón! is an informal, enthusiastic way to greet a boy.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'hi, girl' or 'hi, kid' to a female child, you must change the masculine niño to the feminine niña, resulting in Hola, niña.
Did you know?
- The word niño may have originated from an imitation of the way babies babble, much like the English words 'nanny' or 'nana'.
- The greeting ¡Hola, chaval! is so specific to Spain that using it in Latin America might sound quite foreign or out of place.
- Spanish speakers often use the diminutive form niñito instead of niño to express extra affection or to describe a very small child.
Examples in context
- Hola, niño. ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hi, kid. How are you today?
- ¡Hola, chaval! ¿Qué tal todo?Hi, kid! How's everything going?
- ¡Qué pasa, peque! ¿Vienes a jugar con nosotros?What's up, kiddo! Are you coming to play with us?
Example conversation
María sees her young nephew Daniel at a family party.
- MaríaHola, niño, ¿qué haces?Hi, kid, what are you doing?
- DanielEstoy jugando con mis autos.I am playing with my cars.
- MaríaSe ven muy divertidos, Daniel.They look very fun, Daniel.
- Daniel¡Sí! ¿Quieres jugar conmigo?Yes! Do you want to play with me?
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, niño) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, niño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
