Richard Alexander, a Venezuelan TikToker based in the Canary Islands, has become an expert in the phrases used in Cuban slang, to the point where he already understands the meaning of many. According to Richard, Cubans have not just one but many ways to say "hello, how are you," and in his opinion, Cuban greetings can be very diverse.
"Cubans have 45 ways to say hello, how are you (...) The most typical among Cubans is 'que bolá asere' (...) 'Qué bolá' is a hello, how are you, everything good, how’s it going, but with style," the Venezuelan explains.
"They can also come with swagger and say 'dímelo mi tanque'," the TikToker assures. In one of his greetings, he asked for help because he wasn't quite sure how to pronounce it: "qué vuelta cobio," but his Cuban followers clarified that the correct word is "ecobio," a term that among the Abakuá means brother.
In the comments on the video, other Cuban greetings that he missed appeared: "qué bolá campeón"; "qué vuelta el mío"; "háblate el mío"; "cómo está el meneo"; "cómo está la cosa," among others.
Cuban Greetings Explained
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the diverse ways Cubans greet each other, as explained by Richard Alexander.
How many ways do Cubans have to say hello?
According to Richard Alexander, Cubans have 45 different ways to say "hello, how are you."
What is the most typical Cuban greeting?
The most typical Cuban greeting is "que bolá asere," which means "hello, how are you, everything good, how’s it going" but with a unique Cuban style.
What does "ecobio" mean?
"Ecobio" is a term used among the Abakuá that means brother.