Meaning & use
holla
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Meanings
interjectionslanginformal
An informal shout used to greet someone or get their attention.
Grammar: Used alone or at the start of a sentence: 'Holla, over here!'
Patterns
- holla!
- holla at someone
Holla! I haven't seen you in ages.
He shouted "Holla!" to get his friend's attention across the street.
Holla, we're over here!
verbtransitive or intransitiveslanginformal
To call out to someone or contact them, especially informally.
Grammar: Often used with 'at': 'Holla at me later.'
Patterns
- holla at someone
- holla back
Just holla at me when you're ready to go.
She hollered at her friends to come over.
Holla back if you get this message.
Word forms
| third person singular | hollas |
|---|---|
| past tense | hollaed |
| past participle | hollaed |
| -ing form | hollaing |
Common combinations
- holla at someone
- Holla at me when you get to the party.
- holla back
- She said she'd holla back later.
- holla out
- He hollaed out a greeting from across the room.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: holla or holler? holla or hollow?
holla vs holler
A standard word meaning to shout. 'Holla' is slang and often used as a greeting or to mean 'contact me'.
holla vs hollow
Pronounced similarly but means 'empty inside'; not related to shouting.
Practice
Choose the best word: If you need help, just ______ at me.
Choose one answer.
The slang verb 'holla' fits the informal pattern 'holla at someone'. 'Holler' is also possible but less slangy; 'hollow' and 'hello' do not fit the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “holla”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.