Hola
/ola/from spelling rules
Hola is the Spanish phrase for hello.
Hola is the simplest and most common way to say hello in Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/ola/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the H in Hola, but the H should be silent.
Did you know?
- While English speakers might use 'hello' to answer a telephone, in many Spanish-speaking countries, it is much more common to answer the phone with ¿Diga? or ¿Aló? instead of Hola.
- The word Hola may have originated as a command to fetch something or to stop, rather than a friendly greeting. It is linked to old Germanic words used to hail a ferryman or a person in passing.
- In Spanish, hola is often paired with a physical gesture like a kiss on each cheek in Spain, whereas in many Latin American countries a single kiss or a handshake is the norm.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señorGood morning, sir
- Buenos días, señoraGood morning, ma'am
- Buenas noches, señorGood evening, sir
- Hola, ¿qué tal?Hello, how are you?
- ¡Saludos, amigos!Greetings, friends!
- Buenos días, señor. ¿Cómo está?Good morning, sir. How are you?
- Hola, ¿qué tal? ¿Cómo has estado?Hello, how are you? How have you been?
- ¡Saludos a todos! ¡Es un gusto verlos!Greetings, everyone! It's nice to see you all!
- ¡Hola a todos!Hello everyone!
- Hola, buen día.Hello, good day.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía meet at a cafe.
- AlejandroHola, Sofía.Hello, Sofía.
- Sofía¡Hola, Alejandro! ¿Qué tal?Hello, Alejandro! How's it going?
- AlejandroTodo bien, gracias.Everything is fine, thanks.
- SofíaMe alegra escucharlo.I am glad to hear that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
