olá
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Translating...
hello, hi, greeting
/oˈla/
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A friendly greeting used to say hello, whether in person, on the phone, or in writing.
Examples
Ela disse olá a todos na festa.
She said hello to everyone at the party.
Quando cheguei, ele me cumprimentou com um olá caloroso.
When I arrived, he greeted me with a hello.
Em um e‑mail informal, pode começar com olá, João.
In an informal email, you can start with hello, John.
Mandou um olá por mensagem de texto.
He sent a hello via text message.
Na aula de português, o professor explicou que olá vem do espanhol hola.
In Portuguese class, the teacher explained that hello comes from Spanish hola.
Similar words
oi
boa tarde
saudações
alô
bom dia
salve
olá!
e aí
Meanings
Examples
Ela disse olá a todos na festa.
She said hello to everyone at the party.
Quando cheguei, ele me cumprimentou com um olá caloroso.
When I arrived, he greeted me with a hello.
No telefone, eu respondo com olá.
On the phone, I answer with hello.
Mandou um olá por mensagem de texto.
He sent a hello via text message.
Em um e‑mail informal, pode começar com olá, João.
In an informal email, you can start with hello, John.
Ele usou olá ao entrar na sala de reunião.
He used hello when entering the meeting room.
Na aula de português, o professor explicou que olá vem do espanhol hola.
In Portuguese class, the teacher explained that hello comes from Spanish hola.
Similar words
oi
bom dia
boa tarde
alô
salve
e aí
saudações
olá!
Etymology
From Spanish hola, which itself goes back to Old Spanish hola meaning hello.
FAQ
olá means “hello”, a common greeting in Portuguese.
olá is pronounced /oˈla/, with the stress on the second syllable.
When should I use olá instead of bom dia?
olá works for any time of day in informal settings, while bom dia is preferred in formal or morning‑specific contexts.
Is olá appropriate in formal writing?
olá is generally too casual for formal letters; choose Bom dia, Prezados, or another formal salutation.
Can olá be used on the phone?
olá is acceptable in casual calls, but alô is the standard phone greeting in Portuguese.
What is the difference between olá and alô?
olá is a general greeting, while alô is specifically used when answering a telephone.
Are there regional variations of olá in Portuguese?
olá is used throughout Brazil and Portugal, though some regions may favor oi or e aí for informal greetings.
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