hola
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Translating...
hello, hi, hey, hey, listen
/ˈola/
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A friendly greeting and, by extension, an informal exclamation used to draw attention in casual settings.
Examples
Cuando llegué, dije Hola a todos.
When I arrived, I said hello to everyone.
¿Hola, puedes ayudarme?
Hello, can you help me?
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Hello! How are you?
¡Hola, equipo! ¡Vamos a ganar!
Hey, team! Let's win!
En la calle, le dije Hola para que me escuchara.
On the street, I said hey so he would hear me.
Similar words
¡atención!
saludo
¡vamos!
¡hey!
¡oye!
hey
buenas
buenos
eh
¡eh!
Meanings
Examples
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Hello! How are you?
Cuando llegué, dije Hola a todos.
When I arrived, I said hello to everyone.
¿Hola, puedes ayudarme?
Hello, can you help me?
Le envié un mensaje que empezaba con Hola.
I sent a message that started with hello.
En la reunión, él empezó con un Hola cordial.
In the meeting, he began with a cordial hello.
Similar words
buenas
hey
saludo
qué talbuenos
buenas tardes
Examples
¡Hola, equipo! ¡Vamos a ganar!
Hey, team! Let's win!
El árbitro gritó Hola para llamar la atención.
The referee shouted hey to get attention.
Durante el concierto, el público gritó Hola al cantante.
During the concert, the audience shouted hey at the singer.
En la calle, le dije Hola para que me escuchara.
On the street, I said hey so he would hear me.
Los niños gritaron Hola cuando vieron el coche.
The children shouted hey when they saw the car.
Similar words
oye
eh
¡hey!
¡eh!
¡oye!
¡atención!
¡vamos!
Etymology
From Old Spanish hola, an interjection of uncertain origin recorded from the 15th century.
FAQ
Hola means “hello” or “hi”, a common Spanish greeting.
Can I use hola in a formal letter?
It is best to avoid hola in formal letters; use “buenos días” or a similar salutation instead.
Does hola ever mean something other than a greeting?
Yes, in informal contexts hola can be an exclamation used to attract attention or to cheer someone on.
Is hola ever used as a noun?
In standard Spanish hola functions only as an interjection, not as a noun.
What is the origin of hola?
Hola comes from an Old Spanish interjection of uncertain origin, first recorded in the 15th century.
Hola is pronounced /ˈola/.
What are common mistakes when saying hola?
Common errors include using hola in formal contexts, omitting the comma before a name, or confusing it with a farewell like adiós.
Are there regional variations of hola?
In many Latin American countries hola also serves as a shout to get attention, while in Spain it is mainly a greeting.
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