The most common way to say “hi” in Spanish is:

  • Hola — pronounced roughly like “OH-la”

You can use hola in almost any situation: with friends, family, coworkers, or strangers. It’s neutral, friendly, and works any time of day.

Common Spanish Greetings Beyond “Hola”

If you want to sound a bit more natural, here are other very common greetings:

  • Buenos días – “Good morning” (literally “good days”)
  • Buenas tardes – “Good afternoon” / “Good evening (early)”
  • Buenas noches – “Good night” / “Good evening (late)”

These are often used together with hola:

  • Hola, buenos días – “Hi, good morning”
  • Hola, buenas tardes – “Hi, good afternoon”

Adding “How are you?” in Spanish

To make your greeting more complete:

  • Hola, ¿cómo estás? – “Hi, how are you?” (informal, to friends, people your age, kids)
  • Hola, ¿cómo está? or ¿Cómo está usted? – formal version (to older people, in professional settings)

A natural short answer:

  • Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? – “Fine, thanks. And you?” (informal)
  • Bien, gracias. ¿Y usted? – “Fine, thanks. And you?” (formal)

Casual Alternatives to “Hi” in Spanish

In informal situations, people sometimes use these as greetings (depending on the region):

  • ¿Qué tal? – “How’s it going?” / “What’s up?”
  • ¿Cómo va? – “How’s it going?”
  • ¿Qué haces? – “What are you doing?” (often used like a greeting among friends)

You can also combine them:

  • Hola, ¿qué tal?
  • Hola, ¿cómo va?

When and How to Use These Greetings

  • With friends / same age / casual

    • Hola
    • Hola, ¿cómo estás?
    • Hola, ¿qué tal?

  • At work / in shops / with strangers

    • Hola, buenos días
    • Buenas tardes
    • Buenas noches
    • Hola, ¿cómo está? (more polite)

Learn More Spanish Greetings and Expressions

To go further with Spanish:

Quick recap:
The easiest, universally correct way to say hi in Spanish is simply:

Hola.

If you remember just that, you’ll already sound friendly and natural in Spanish.