Spanish words for kids · Greetings & manners
How to say “hello” in Spanish
Hello is usually the very first word a child uses in a new language, and the one they get to use most: with family, at the door, on a video call.
Hello in Spanish
hola
Sounds like ≈ OH-lah
Good to know: The h in Spanish is always silent, so hola starts straight on the "oh". It works any time of day, with anyone.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our Spanish songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Yo digo hola.
I say hello.
from Los Meses del Año (Months of the Year)
¡Hola! ¡Quiero helado!
Hello! I want ice cream!
from La Eñe y la Erre (Special Sounds)
El dragón dice: «¡Hola, amigo!»
The dragon says, “Hello, my friend!”
from El Dragón Amable (The Friendly Dragon)
3 songs that teach it
“Hello” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in Spanish with its English meaning.
Hola, ¿Cómo Estás?
Hi, How Are You? · Greetings · Free
- hola · hello
- ¿cómo estás? · how are you?
- bien · good
- ¡a jugar! · let's play!
Hola, Naturaleza
Hello, Nature · Nature · Premium
- sol · sun
- cielo · sky
- árbol · tree
- flor · flower
Hola, Amigo
Hi, Friend · Greetings · Free
- hola · hello
- amigo · friend
- ¿cómo estás? · how are you?
- nombre · name
Also sung in: Buenos Días, Adiós, Amigos, Mi Familia, Mamá y Papá, Abuela y Abuelo, Mi Cara, Me Encanta la Comida, A Veces Triste and 15 more.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1Make hola the only way anyone says hello in your house for a week, including to the cat and to teddies.
- 2Wave at things on a walk (a bus, a dog, a tree) and say hola to each one. Silly targets get the most giggles and the most repeats.
- 3When a video call starts, let your child be the one who opens with hola.
Related Spanish words
“Hello” in other languages
Sing it in Spanish, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Spanishhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using Spanish songs with your family.