General
qué bolá
What does qué bolá mean?
The signature Cuban greeting asking how someone is or what's happening, often extended to '¿Qué bolá, asere?'.
"¿Qué bolá contigo? Tiempo sin verte."
Origin
Cuban Spanish; 'bola' (ball/word on the street) used idiomatically.
Frequently asked questions
What does '¿qué bolá?' mean?
It's the classic Cuban way of saying 'what's up?' or 'how's it going?'.
Is it spelled 'qué bolá' or 'qué bola'?
Both appear; 'qué bolá' with the accent on the last syllable reflects the Cuban pronunciation, and 'qué volá' is also seen.
How do Cubans use '¿qué bolá?'
As a casual greeting, often paired with 'asere' — '¿Qué bolá, asere?' — meaning roughly 'what's up, bro?'.
Is '¿qué bolá?' formal?
No, it's very informal street Spanish and would be out of place in a formal or professional setting.
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