hola
/ˈola/
The English phrase "hi" is translated into Spanish as hola.
hola is used as a friendly, informal greeting.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Which one should you use?
While hola is a general greeting, you might use ¡Buenas! as a shortened, informal way to say "good afternoon" or "good night" (derived from buenas tardes or buenas noches).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal greeting ¡Hola, qué onda! is a common way to say "hi, what's up?" in Mexico.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the 'h' in hola as a hard 'h' sound like in the English word "hot", but the 'h' should be silent.
When do people say it?
In informal social settings, people often follow a greeting with questions like ¿Qué tal? (how are you?).
Did you know?
- The word hola may have originated from a command used to hail a ferryman, specifically from Old High German roots.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying hola is often accompanied by a physical gesture such as one or two kisses on the cheek or a hug.
- In Spain, the greeting hola is frequently used even in semi-professional contexts where English speakers might expect a more formal 'good morning'.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal estás?Hi! How are you?This example shows how to use hola in a greeting followed by a question.Tatoeba #535238 by Shishir, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Hola chicos, soy Mike.Hi guys, I'm Mike.This example uses hola to introduce yourself to a group.Tatoeba #1020897 by Shishir, translation #1020895 by CP
- ¡Hola! Soy nuevo aquí.Hi! I'm new here.This example uses hola when introducing yourself in a new location.Tatoeba #1666523 by marcelostockle, translation #1654229 by Spamster
- Buenos días, señor. ¿Cómo está?Good morning, sir. How are you?
- Hola, ¿qué tal?Hi, how's it going?
- ¡Hola! Todo bien, ¿y tú?Hi! Everything's good, and you?
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía sees Daniel in the hallway at school.
- Lucía¡Hola, Daniel!Hi, Daniel!
- DanielHola, Lucía. ¿Cómo estás?Hi, Lucía. How are you?
- LucíaMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
- DanielMe alegro mucho.I'm very glad.
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.
