Greetings
How to say “hello” in Spanish
The everyday way to say hello in Spanish is “hola”. It works at any time of day, with friends, strangers and shop staff, and it is the same in every Spanish-speaking country. The letter h is silent, so it sounds like “OH-lah”.
In Spanish
Hola
Hello
Say it: OH-lah
Other ways to say “hello”
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Buenas
Hi / Hey
Short for buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches; casual and very common, especially when you walk into a shop or bar.
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¿Qué tal?
How's it going?
A friendly hello that also asks how the other person is.
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Dígame
Hello (answering the phone, Spain)
Literally “tell me”; how shop staff and many people answer the phone in spain.
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¿Bueno?
Hello (answering the phone, Mexico)
How people usually pick up the phone in mexico.
Example sentences
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Hola, me llamo Ana.
Hello, my name is Ana.
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¡Hola a todos!
Hello, everyone!
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Hola, buenos días. ¿Tiene una mesa libre?
Hello, good morning. Do you have a free table?
How to reply
Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hi, how are you?
Good to know
- “Hola” is neither formal nor informal, so you can use it with anyone. To be more polite, add the time of day: “hola, buenos días”.
- In Spain people often just say “buenas” when entering a shop or lift, and the others answer “buenas” back.
Questions about “hello” in Spanish
How do you say “hello” in Spanish?
“hello” in Spanish is “Hola” (Hello). It is pronounced OH-lah. You can also say “Buenas”, “¿Qué tal?”, “Dígame”.
How do you pronounce “Hola”?
“Hola” sounds like OH-lah. The capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Tap the speaker on this page to hear it.
What are other ways to say “hello” in Spanish?
“Buenas” (Hi / Hey): short for buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches; casual and very common, especially when you walk into a shop or bar. “¿Qué tal?” (How's it going?): a friendly hello that also asks how the other person is. “Dígame” (Hello (answering the phone, Spain)): literally “tell me”; how shop staff and many people answer the phone in Spain. “¿Bueno?” (Hello (answering the phone, Mexico)): how people usually pick up the phone in Mexico.
How do you reply to “Hola”?
A natural reply is “Hola, ¿qué tal?” (Hi, how are you?).
Practise it, don't just read it.
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