ehi
/ˈej/
The English phrase 'yo' can be translated into Italian as ehi.
ehi is a casual way to say yo in Italian, often used to get someone's attention.
Meaning: greeting similar to hi (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Italy, particularly Naples, oè is an informal greeting used to attract attention or say hey.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈej/
Did you know?
- While ehi is used for greetings, an Italian speaker might use it with a rising intonation to express disbelief or shock, similar to saying 'What!' or 'No way!' in English.
- In many parts of Italy, a simple 'hey' or 'yo' is often accompanied by a small, sharp upward nod of the head to acknowledge a person from a distance.
- The Southern variation oè is so characteristic of Neapolitan street culture that it is often used in music and film to instantly signal that a character is from Naples.
Examples in context
- Ehi, hai visto il nuovo film?Yo, have you seen the new movie?
- Buonasera, vorrei prenotare un tavolo per due persone.Good evening, I would like to book a table for two.
- Oè, cosa fai stasera?Yo, what are you doing tonight?
- Ehilà, che bello vederti!Yo, great to see you!
- Ehi, come stai?Hey, how are you?
- Ehi, guarda questo!Hey, look at this!
- Ehi, ci vediamo dopo.Hey, see you later.
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo meet at a cafe.
- SofiaEhi, Lorenzo!Hey, Lorenzo!
- LorenzoCiao, Sofia! Come stai?Hi, Sofia! How are you?
- SofiaBene, grazie. E tu?Good, thanks. And you?
- LorenzoTutto bene, grazie.Everything is good, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ehi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
