hb
“hb” means “What's up?” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
What's up?
Also: Talk to me
📝 In Action
¡hb! ¿Cómo va todo por allá?
B2What's up! How is everything going over there?
hb, causa, ¿qué me cuentas de nuevo?
B2What's up, man, what's new with you?
Oye hb, ¿por qué no viniste a la fiesta?
B2Hey, talk to me, why didn't you come to the party?
Happy Birthday
Also: HBD
📝 In Action
¡hb! Que cumplas muchos más.
A1Happy Birthday! May you have many more.
Feliz hb para tu hermano.
A1Happy birthday to your brother.
No pude ir a tu hb, lo siento.
A2I couldn't go to your birthday (party), I'm sorry.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hb
Question 1 of 3
You are in Peru and someone texts you 'hb' as a greeting. What are they saying?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
A modern digital abbreviation. The first version comes from the Spanish word 'Habla' (to speak), while the second is an adoption of the English initials for 'Happy Birthday.' Both became popular with the rise of SMS and WhatsApp.
First recorded: Early 2000s (Mobile phone era)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'hb' a real Spanish word?
Not officially! You won't find it in a dictionary like the RAE. It is a 'textism'—a shortcut used in digital messaging.
How do you pronounce it if you were to say it out loud?
If you really had to say it, you would just say the letters: 'ah-che be'. However, it's almost always better to just say 'Habla' or 'Feliz cumple' out loud.
Does everyone use 'hb' for 'What's up'?
No. This specific meaning is very regional, mostly popular in Peru. In most other Spanish-speaking countries, people will assume you mean 'Happy Birthday'.