Olá
/oˈla/
To say the Spanish greeting hola in Portuguese, use Olá.
Olá is the most common and neutral way to say hello in Portuguese. It works with anyone, in Brazil and in Portugal.
Which one should you use?
Oi is a more common and informal way to say hi in Brazil. E aí is a casual greeting that works like what's up.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /oˈla/, with the stress on the last syllable, shown by the accent on the a.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use the Spanish word hola when trying to greet someone in Portuguese. The Portuguese word is Olá, with the accent and the stress at the end.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word Olá may have been borrowed from the Spanish word hola.
- In Portugal, using the informal Oi in a professional setting can make you seem far too casual, whereas in Brazil it is a standard greeting for almost everyone.
- If you want to sound extra friendly or energetic in Brazil, you can double up the informal greeting to say Oi, oi! instead of just once.
Examples in context
- Olá, como vai?Hello, how are you?
- Oi, tudo bem?Hi, how are you?
- E aí, beleza?Hey, what's up?
- Olá, bom dia!Hello, good morning!
- Ela disse: Olá!She said: Hello!
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana meet in a hallway.
- RodrigoOlá, Juliana!Hello, Juliana!
- JulianaOi, Rodrigo. Tudo bem?Hi, Rodrigo. How are you?
- RodrigoTudo ótimo, e você?Everything is great, and you?
- JulianaEu também estou bem.I am well too.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry olá.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
