hola

Hola is a Spanish interjection used as a greeting meaning "hello" or "hi." It is among the most common ways to greet someone in Spanish and is widely used throughout Spain, Latin America, and in Spanish-speaking communities around the world. The phrase can stand alone as a greeting or begin a sentence, as in Hola, ¿cómo estás? ("Hello, how are you?"). In writing, it is typically capitalized and may be punctuated with exclamation marks in Spanish.

Pronunciation is approximately "OH-lah" with the emphasis on the first syllable. The word is of native Spanish origin and is used in informal contexts; more formal greetings exist, such as buenos días or buenas tardes. In many places, "hola" has transcended language boundaries and appears in popular culture and casual speech as an iconic representation of friendly communication.

Other uses: "Hola" is also used as a brand or product name. The best-known example in modern tech is the Hola VPN service, a peer-to-peer virtual private network that has faced scrutiny over privacy and security concerns. The term's ubiquity makes it a common example of a simple, everyday greeting that has had a broad cultural reach.