In French, there is also "Hola" which is like the Spanish, but the H is pronouced, and the stress is on the last syllable. It's an informal and attention-getting way of saying hello---slang, if you will, equivalent to "Hey" or "Yo".

Funny, my grandparents were first generation Italian (their parents came over from the old country). When I was little, I'd hear my Grandmom say to Grandpop (Pop-pop to me when I was 3) to get his attention "Yo, Lee!" Lee was short for Velivelo. For the longest time, I though my Grandpop's name was "Yoli"...

--Matt