Hello vs Yo

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

Hello

High-frequency chunk A1

Yo

Informal Top 2,000 (common) A1

Most formal: Hello Most common: Hello

	Hello	Yo
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/həˈləʊ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/həˈləʊ/"]/	🇬🇧 //jəʊ// 🇺🇸 //joʊ//
Meaning	A word used to greet someone.	A casual greeting or way to get someone's attention.
Example	Hello John, how are you?	Yo, are you coming to the party tonight?
Register	Neutral	Informal
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A1	A1
Collocations	say hello, hello there, hello everyone, hello friend, hello world	say yo, shout yo, yo dude, yo man, yo what's up
Antonyms	goodbye, farewell	-
Common mistakes	Using 'hello' in overly formal situations., Confusing 'hello' with 'hi' for informal contexts., Not varying the greeting based on time of day.	Using 'yo' in formal emails or speeches., Mispronouncing it as 'yoe'., Confusing it with other greetings like 'hello' or 'hey'.
Usage notes	Use 'hello' in most situations when greeting someone. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using in very formal settings where a greeting like 'good afternoon' might be more appropriate.	Typically used among friends or in casual settings. Not suitable for formal occasions or with people you don't know well.

See it in real clips

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Hello.

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

Hello, Mr. White.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Hello?

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Hello.

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

Hello, Mr. White.

Hello

The Wire › S1 E1

String. Yo, Stringer!

Succession › S1 E1

- Just gotta get somewhere quiet. - Yo, I got news.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Hey, yo. Kraze, how you doing, my man?

The Wire › S1 E1

String. Yo, Stringer!

Succession › S1 E1

- Just gotta get somewhere quiet. - Yo, I got news.

Yo

Frequently asked questions: Hello vs Yo

What's the difference between Hello and Yo?

Hello: A word used to greet someone. Yo: A casual greeting or way to get someone's attention.

Which is more formal: Hello and Yo?

Hello is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Hello and Yo?

Hello is the most common in everyday English.

Are Hello and Yo the same CEFR level?

Hello: A1, Yo: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Hello: Hello John, how are you? Yo: Yo, are you coming to the party tonight?

Can I use Hello and Yo interchangeably?

Not always. Hello and Yo 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.