# Hola

/ˈhoʊɫə/ (US) · CEFR A1 · Interjection

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hola
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a friendly greeting used to say hello in Spanish. You might hear this in Spanish-speaking countries or from people who speak the language.

For teachers: a standard greeting in Spanish, equivalent to 'hello' or 'hi'. Used as a loanword in English to signal a casual, friendly, or culturally specific tone.

## Examples

- Hola! How are you doing today?
- She walked into the room and gave a cheerful hola to her colleagues before sitting down.
- While primarily a Spanish greeting, the use of hola in English-speaking environments often serves as a low-stakes marker of cultural affinity or casual familiarity between speakers.

## Usage notes

- Used as a standalone greeting or as an introductory particle before a sentence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.