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Hola

/ˈola/

interjectionA1

Definition

"Hola" means "hello" in Spanish. It is a friendly way to greet people when you meet them or start a conversation. It is used in many Spanish-speaking countries as a common and polite greeting.

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In your personal learning flow

See It in Action

A greeting to say hello

  • •Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hello, how are you?)
  • •Cuando entras en una casa, dices "hola" a todos. (When you enter a house, you say "hola" to everyone.)
  • •Ella dijo "hola" con una sonrisa. (She said "hola" with a smile.)

Make It Stick

  • ✓Think of "hola" like the English word "hi" or "hello," simple and friendly greetings.
  • ✓Picture two people smiling and waving their hands while saying "hola" to each other.
  • ✓It's the feeling of starting a conversation with someone new or a friend.
  • ✓Sounds like "OH-la" → imagine opening your mouth wide to say a cheerful greeting.
  • ✓In stories or movies, characters say "hola" when they meet in Spain or Latin America.
  • ✓NOT like "adiós" (which means goodbye), "hola" is used when you meet, not when you leave.
  • ✓NOT like "gracias" (thank you), "hola" is for greeting, not thanking.
  • ✓NOT formal or complicated, "hola" is friendly and easy to use anytime.

Try Other Words

  • •Buenos días: good morning (Use when greeting someone in the morning formally or politely)
  • •Qué tal: how are you / what's up (Use as a casual greeting asking about someone's condition)
  • •Saludos: greetings (Use when sending general greetings, often in letters or messages)

Unboxing

  • •Word parts: "hola" is a single word without prefixes or suffixes
  • •Etymology: From Spanish, origin uncertain but used as a greeting since old Spanish times
  • •Historical development: Used for centuries as a common way to say hello in Spanish-speaking countries
  • •Modern usage: Still the most common and simple greeting in Spanish, used in all ages and regions

Reflect & Connect

•How do you feel when someone says "hola" to you for the first time in a new place?
•Can "hola" be used in both formal and informal situations? When would you use other greetings instead?

Fill in the blanks

1.When you meet a friend, you say hola to ___ the conversation.
2."Hola" is used as a greeting, not to say ___.
3.In Spanish, "hola" sounds like ___.
4.You say hola when you ___ someone, not when you leave.
5.Instead of hola, you might say ___ in the morning to be more polite.
6.If someone says hola with a smile, they want to ___ with you.
7.When learning Spanish, "hola" is one of the first words you ___ to greet people.