¡hola!, ¿qué tal?
/ˈola ˈke ˈtal/word by word
The English phrase "hi, what's up?" translates to Spanish as ¡hola!, ¿qué tal?
¡hola!, ¿qué tal? is a common way to say "Hi, what's up?" in Spanish. You may also encounter ¿Qué pasa?, which literally means "What's happening?" or "What's going on?" or ¿Qué haces?, which is used to ask someone what they are currently doing, similar to the English "What are you up to?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The combination of ¡Hola! and ¿qué tal? is an informal greeting suitable for friends, family or peers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ¿qué tal? is often used as a standalone greeting without needing a subject or verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola ˈke ˈtal/
When do people say it?
In Spain and Latin America, people often greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. In some countries like Mexico and Colombia, a friendly hug may be given between friends. When someone asks ¿qué tal?, a common response is Bien, ¿y tú? (Fine and you?).
Did you know?
- The word hola might actually be a command to stop, descending from the French 'holà' which was used to hail a ferryman or tell someone to halt.
- The word qué is a direct descendant of the Latin word quid, which is also the root of the English word 'quid' used for a British pound.
- The phrase ¿qué tal? can be used not only as a greeting but also to ask for an opinion about a specific thing, similar to 'How is it?' or 'How was it?'
Example conversation
Javier and María meet in a park.
- Javier¡Hola!, ¿qué tal?Hi, what's up?
- MaríaTodo bien, Javier. ¿Y tú?Everything is good, Javier. And you?
- JavierMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
- MaríaMe alegro mucho.I am very happy to hear that.
