hallo
English
Etymology
From Middle English halou, halow, halloo (interjection used to call attention), representing Old English hēlā, ǣlā, ēalā (“O!, alas!, oh!, lo!”), equivalent to hey + lo.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /həˈləʊ/, /hæˈləʊ/
Audio (Southern England) (file) Audio (Southern England) (file) - Rhymes: -əʊ
Interjection
hallo
- Alternative form of hello
- (dated) A cry of surprise.
- 1890 February, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration”, in The Sign of Four (Standard Library), London: Spencer Blackett […], →OCLC, page 98:
- It sounds like a sum in the rule of three. The answer should give us the— But hallo! here are the accredited representatives of the law.
Synonyms
- (hello): See Thesaurus:hello
- (cry of surprise): See Thesaurus:wow
Verb
hallo (third-person singular simple present hallos or halloes, present participle halloing, simple past and past participle halloed)
- (intransitive) To shout, or to call with a loud voice.
- (transitive) To chase while shouting "hallo!"
- (transitive) To cry "hallo" (to someone).
- (transitive) To shout (something).
Conjugation
infinitive | (to) hallo | ||
---|---|---|---|
present tense | past tense | ||
1st-person singular | hallo | halloed | |
2nd-person singular | hallo, halloest† | halloed, halloedst† | |
3rd-person singular | hallos, halloes, halloeth† | halloed | |
plural | hallo | ||
subjunctive | hallo | halloed | |
imperative | hallo | — | |
participles | halloing | halloed |
†Archaic or obsolete.
See also
Anagrams
Danish
Etymology
Imperative of Middle High German haln (“to fetch (a ferryman)”); see German hallo.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /halɔ/, [haˈlɔ] or IPA(key): /halɔː/, [haˈlɔː]
Interjection
hallo
- hello (a greeting usually used to answer the telephone)
- An exclamation to get attention.
- (as a noun, rare) n hello ("Hello!" or an equivalent greeting)
Further reading
- “hallo” in Den Danske Ordbog
Dutch
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɦɑˈloː/
audio (file) - Hyphenation: hal‧lo
- Rhymes: -oː
Estonian
Alternative forms
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhɑlˑo/, [ˈ(h)ɑlˑo]
- Rhymes: -ɑlˑo
- Hyphenation: hal‧lo
Interjection
hallo
- hello (exclamation to indicate oneself, which usually is used when starting a telephone call)
- (informal) an exclamation indicating wonder, demand, disapproval
- Ma teen kõike üksi, hallo, mis mul viga on!
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
German
Etymology
Originally used as a call to the ferryman on the other side of the bank; related to Old High German holā, emphatic imperative of holōn (“to fetch, used especially in hailing a ferryman”), from Proto-West Germanic *holōn (“to fetch”). Also see French holà (“hey! stop!”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhalo/, /haˈloː/
(file)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “hallo” in Duden online
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “hello”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- “hallo” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Interlingua
Latin
Norwegian Bokmål
References
- “hallo” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
References
- “hallo” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /haˈɫoː/
Spanish
West Frisian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /haˈloː/
Further reading
- “hallo”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011