hola, señorita
/ˈola seɲoˈɾita/word by word
hola, señorita is the Spanish way to say "hi miss".
This phrase is a polite greeting used when addressing a young unmarried woman. While hola is generally informal, pairing it with señorita creates a polite greeting suitable for service staff, teachers or strangers.
Which one should you use?
Use hola, señora instead of hola, señorita if the woman is older or married, as señorita specifically implies a younger or unmarried woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "hi misses" when addressing a group of young women, use the plural form hola, señoritas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola seɲoˈɾita/
Did you know?
- Historical roots for hola may trace back to the Old High German word for hailing a ferryman to fetch a boat.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a woman señorita is a way to show respect to a stranger, even if she is not actually young. It functions more as a polite social lubricant than a literal description of her age or marital status.
- The word señorita uses the diminutive suffix -ita to express affection or smallness, which is why it is used for young women. This suffix is also found in many other Spanish words to denote a smaller version of something.
Examples in context
- ¡Buenos días, señorita!Good morning, miss!
- ¡Buenas tardes, señorita!Good afternoon, miss!
- ¡Buenas noches, señorita!Good evening/night, miss!
- Buenos días, señorita GarcíaGood morning, Miss García.
- ¡Buen día, señorita!Good day, miss!
- Hola, señorita, ¿cómo está?Hi miss, how are you?
- Hola, señorita, buen día.Hi miss, good day.
- Hola, señorita, bienvenida a la tienda.Hi miss, welcome to the store.
Example conversation
Javier greets Sofía as she enters a cafe.
- SofíaHola, señorita, ¿qué desea tomar?Hi miss, what would you like to drink?
- JavierHola, quiero un café con leche.Hi, I want a latte.
- SofíaClaro que sí, Sofía.Of course, Sofía.
- JavierMuchas gracias, Javier.Thank you very much, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, señorita) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, señorita, CC BY-SA 4.0.
