Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"Hello" in Portuguese: olá / oi
olá / oi
Hello in Portuguese is oi (OY) in everyday Brazilian speech, or olá (oh-LAH), which sounds a little more formal. Brazilians say oi to friends and neighbors, and also to the cashier or the bus driver. In Portugal, olá is the normal friendly greeting.
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How to pronounce olá / oi
Say it
OY / oh-LAH
/oj/, /oˈla/
Oi rhymes with English "boy" without the b: one quick syllable. In olá the accent marks the stress, so say oh-LAH, with a light l and a clear, open a at the end.
"Hello" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| oi | hi, hello Everyday Brazil, with almost anyone in a casual setting. | Everyday Brazil, with almost anyone in a casual setting. |
| olá | hello A bit more formal in Brazil, good for emails. The standard friendly hello in Portugal. | A bit more formal in Brazil, good for emails. The standard friendly hello in Portugal. |
| Oi, tudo bem? | Hi, how's it going? The most common way to open a chat in Brazil. | The most common way to open a chat in Brazil. |
| bom dia / boa tarde / boa noite | good morning / afternoon / evening Polite greetings for shops, offices, and people you don't know. | Polite greetings for shops, offices, and people you don't know. |
| E aí? | What's up? Very casual Brazilian greeting among friends. | Very casual Brazilian greeting among friends. |
How to use olá / oi in real life
- 1Meeting a friend
Oi, Ana! Tudo bem com você?
Hi, Ana! How are you doing?
Tudo bem? almost always follows oi. A quick Tudo, e você? is the normal reply.
- 2Answering the phone
Alô? Ah, oi, mãe! Pode falar.
Hello? Oh, hi, Mom! Go ahead.
Brazilians answer the phone with alô, then switch to oi once they know who is calling.
- 3Writing a work email
Olá, Sr. Costa. Gostaria de marcar uma reunião.
Hello, Mr. Costa. I would like to set up a meeting.
Olá is a safe way to open a message to someone you don't know well.
Mistakes English speakers make with olá / oi
Incorrect: Hola! (HOH-lah)
Correct: Olá! (oh-LAH) or Oi!
Spanish hola stresses the first syllable. Portuguese olá has no h sound and stresses the last one, as the accent shows.
Incorrect: Olá, bom tarde!
Correct: Olá, boa tarde!
Tarde and noite are feminine, so bom becomes boa. It is bom dia, but boa tarde and boa noite.
Good to know
Greetings in Brazil are warm and often physical. Friends, and often new acquaintances, greet with a hug or a kiss on the cheek, and the number of kisses varies from region to region. Men usually shake hands or give each other a quick hug. Saying oi or bom dia to the doorman or the cashier is normal, and skipping it can come across as cold.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a new neighbor in the elevator
ChatPal
Oi! Tudo bem? Você se mudou para o 302?
Hi! How are you? Did you move into 302?
You
Oi, tudo ótimo! Sim, cheguei ontem. Meu nome é Sam.
Hi, all good! Yes, I arrived yesterday. My name is Sam.
ChatPal
Prazer, Sam! Eu sou a Carla, do 305. Precisando, é só chamar.
Nice to meet you, Sam! I'm Carla, from 305. If you need anything, just ask.
You
Valeu, Carla! Até mais.
Thanks, Carla! See you later.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Hello" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Hello" in Portuguese
Is oi too informal for strangers in Brazil?
Usually not. Oi is fine with waiters, shop staff, and people your age. For a job interview or a formal meeting, start with bom dia or boa tarde instead.
How do you pronounce olá?
Say oh-LAH, with the stress on the last syllable. The h in the English spelling is only there to show the vowel; there is no h sound in olá.
What should I say after oi?
Add Tudo bem? (How's it going?). If someone asks you, reply Tudo, e você? or Tudo ótimo! Brazilians rarely expect a detailed answer.
Do people in Portugal say oi?
People in Portugal understand oi, and some younger people use it, but olá is the everyday choice there. Oi tends to sound Brazilian to Portuguese ears.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
