Short answer: "hello" in Portuguese is Olá, or Oi depending on the situation.
Olá, the core translation
The default way to say "hello" in Portuguese is Olá. Pronounced roughly oh-LAH.
When Portuguese speakers actually use it
Olá works everywhere; Oi is very common in Brazil, casual.
Alternative: Oi
Oi is the other option Portuguese speakers reach for in this situation. It's not a synonym so much as a register shift, use the one that matches who you're talking to.
Practice this in a real Portuguese conversation
Reading a phrase and saying it out loud are two different skills. Skala's AI conversations let you drop "Olá" into a real Portuguese exchange in your first 3-minute lesson, so it sticks the first time.
Start learning Portuguese today
Skala is free on iOS and Android. One 3-minute Portuguese lesson gets you your first 0.1%. Show up daily and the % climbs. That's the whole method.
FAQ
What's the most polite way to say "hello" in Portuguese?
Both Olá and Oi are polite. Pick based on who you're talking to: register, not translation, is what natives are tuning into.
How do I pronounce Olá?
Roughly oh-LAH. Recording yourself once and comparing to a native audio inside Skala closes the gap faster than reading pronunciation guides.