hola
/ˈola/
The English phrase "hello" is translated into Spanish as hola. Wiktionary also lists holi and holis.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hola | /ˈola/ | |
| holi | /ˈoli/ | familiar |
| holis | /ˈolis/ |
hola is the standard way to say hello.
Which one should you use?
While hola is the standard greeting, holi and holis are much more diminutive and playful.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a cute or highly informal tone often used in texting or among close friends, you can use holi. The form holis is a slangy, playful variation used primarily in casual digital communication. For formal greetings, it is better to use time-specific phrases like Buenos días (Good morning) or Buenas tardes (Good afternoon).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
When do people say it?
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to greet someone with a hug, a kiss on the cheek or a friendly pat on the back.
Did you know?
- The word hola might actually be a command to 'stop' or 'hey' rather than a friendly greeting, as it likely shares roots with the French holà.
- The number of kisses used when saying hola varies by country, with two being common in Spain but only one being standard in most of Latin America.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a 'kiss' accompanying hola is actually just touching cheeks and making a kissing sound in the air.
Examples in context
- Dile hola a Jimmy.Say hello to Jimmy.This sentence demonstrates how to use hola when telling someone to greet another person.Tatoeba #1240331 by Shishir, translation #53376 by CP
- Tom nunca dice hola.Tom never says hello.This sentence shows the use of hola in a sentence about someone not greeting others.Tatoeba #5939755 by arh, translation #5939656 by CK
- Di hola a tus amigos.Say hello to your friends.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use hola when telling someone to greet their friends.Tatoeba #741281 by Shishir, translation #70346 by CK
- 113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel meet at a cafe.
- Sofía¡Hola, Daniel!Hello, Daniel!
- DanielHola, Sofía. ¿Cómo estás?Hello, Sofía. How are you?
- SofíaMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
- DanielMe alegra mucho.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries hola, holi, holis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, holis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
