Hello hello vs Hey vs Hi

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Hello hello

High-frequency chunk

Hey

Informal Top 1,000 (very common) A1 exclamation

Hi

Informal High-frequency chunk A1 exclamation

Most formal: Hello hello

	Hello hello	Hey	Hi
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //həˈləʊ həˈləʊ// 🇺🇸 //həˈloʊ həˈloʊ//	🇬🇧 /["/heɪ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/heɪ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/haɪ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/haɪ/"]/
Meaning	A greeting used to say 'hi'.	A casual greeting used to say hello.	A casual way to greet someone.
Example	When she entered the room, she said, 'hello hello!'	Hey, can I just ask you something?	Hi guys!
Register	Neutral	Informal	Informal
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 1,000 (very common)	High-frequency chunk
CEFR level	-	A1	A1
Part of speech		exclamation	exclamation
Collocations	say hello, hello there, hello everyone	say hey, hey there, hey buddy, hey dude	say hi, wave hi, hi there
Antonyms	-	goodbye, farewell, bye	bye, goodbye, farewell, see you
Common mistakes	Using 'hello hello' in overly formal contexts., Not using appropriate intonation when greeting., Confusing 'hello' with informal greetings like 'hi'.	Using 'hey' in formal emails or letters., Spelling it as 'hay' when greeting someone.	Using 'hi' in overly formal contexts., Spelling it as 'hey' which is more informal., Confusing with 'hello' which is slightly more formal.
Usage notes	Use 'hello' as a friendly or formal greeting. Doubling it often expresses excitement or emphasis.	Primarily used in informal situations among friends or acquaintances. It's less appropriate in formal contexts or professional settings. Avoid using it with people you don't know well.	Used among friends and in casual settings. Avoid in formal situations like interviews or professional meetings.

See it in real clips

- Hello, Forrest. - Hello, Jenny.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Hello. Hello.

Succession › S1 E1

Hi. Hello. Hello, there.

- Hello, Forrest. - Hello, Jenny.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Hello. Hello.

Hello hello

Hey. Oh, oh.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Hey.

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

Oh, oh, oh. Hey, hey, hey!

Hey. Oh, oh.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Hey.

Hey

Frequently asked questions: Hello hello vs Hey vs Hi

What's the difference between Hello hello, Hey, and Hi?

Hello hello: A greeting used to say 'hi'. Hey: A casual greeting used to say hello. Hi: A casual way to greet someone.

Which is more formal: Hello hello, Hey, and Hi?

Hello hello is the most formal of these.

Can you show an example of each?

Hello hello: When she entered the room, she said, 'hello hello!' Hey: Hey, can I just ask you something? Hi: Hi guys!

Can I use Hello hello, Hey, and Hi interchangeably?

Not always. Hello hello, Hey, and Hi are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.