Hola
neutral, Mexico
In Mexico Hola is the everyday hello, and the word is written with a silent h. Friends often say ¿Qué onda? for "what is up?" It is also called ¿Qué tal? and Buenos días.
Meaning: greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | neutral, Mexico |
| ¿Qué tal? | neutral |
| Buenos días | morning |
| ¿Qué onda? | slang, Mexico |
Use Buenos días until about noon, buenas tardes in the afternoon and buenas noches after dark. Many people shorten these to buenas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
¿Qué onda? is Mexican and informal. Elsewhere people may say ¿qué pasa? or ¿qué hubo?
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hola is silent, so it sounds like "OH-lah". Writing it without the h is a common spelling mistake.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese olá is the spelling the slug resembles, but Spanish keeps the silent h.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hello, how are you?
- Buenos días, señora.Good morning, ma'am.
- ¿Qué onda, Carlos?What is up, Carlos?
Example conversation
Daniel greets his friend Carlos at a taco stand in Mexico City.
- Daniel¡Hola, Carlos! ¿Qué onda?Hi, Carlos! What is up?
- CarlosHola, Daniel. Aquí, comiendo unos tacos.Hi, Daniel. Here, eating some tacos.
- DanielQué bien, te acompaño.Nice, I will join you.
