How to Say How Are You in Spanish
Learn how to say how are you in Spanish. '¿Cómo estás?' is the standard, with formal and casual variations. Pronunciation guide + how to answer 'how are you' in Spanish.
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Quick answer
To say 'how are you?' in Spanish, say '¿Cómo estás?' (KOH-mo es-TAHS) informally, or '¿Cómo está?' (KOH-mo es-TAH) formally. Casual alternatives include '¿Qué tal?' (what's up?) and '¿Cómo te va?' (how's it going?). A common reply is 'Bien, gracias, ¿y tú?' (Good, thanks, and you?).
¿Cómo estás?
/KOH-mo es-TAHS/ — Spanish
How to Say How Are You in Spanish
Asking “how are you?” is the natural follow-up to a greeting — and in Spanish, the form you choose signals how formal or familiar the relationship is.
The Standard Phrase
¿Cómo estás? — pronounced KOH-mo es-TAHS (informal)
Copy the Phrase
The Spanish phrase for “how are you?” is ¿Cómo estás? (KOH-mo es-TAHS).
Formal vs. Informal
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | KOH-mo es-TAHS | Informal (tú) — friends, family, peers |
| ¿Cómo está? | KOH-mo es-TAH | Formal (usted) — strangers, elders, work |
| ¿Cómo está usted? | …oos-TED | Very formal/explicit |
| ¿Cómo están? | KOH-mo es-TAN | Plural (asking a group) |
The difference is just one letter — the -s in estás marks the informal “tú” form. Drop it for the formal “usted.”
Casual Alternatives
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué tal? | keh tahl | What’s up? / How’s it going? |
| ¿Cómo te va? | KOH-mo teh vah | How’s it going for you? |
| ¿Qué pasa? | keh PAH-sah | What’s happening? |
| ¿Qué onda? | keh OHN-dah | What’s up? (Mexico) |
| ¿Qué más? | keh mahs | What’s up? (Colombia) |
| ¿Cómo andas? | KOH-mo AHN-das | How are you doing? |
How to Answer
| Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bien, gracias | Good, thanks |
| Muy bien | Very well |
| Todo bien | All good |
| Más o menos | So-so |
| Aquí, tranquilo/a | Just relaxing/chilling |
| No muy bien | Not great |
| ¡Excelente! | Excellent! |
And return the question:
- Bien, ¿y tú? — Good, and you? (informal)
- Bien, ¿y usted? — Good, and you? (formal)
Why Estar, Not Ser?
Spanish has two verbs for “to be”: ser (permanent identity) and estar (temporary states). “How are you?” uses estar (¿Cómo estás?) because it asks about your current state or mood — something temporary. Using ser here would be wrong. Mastering the ser/estar distinction is one of the rites of passage in learning Spanish.
The Accent Marks Matter
Note the written accents: ¿Cómo estás? The accent on Cómo and on estás tell you which syllable to stress (KOH and TAHS). They also distinguish words — cómo (how) vs como (I eat / like).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ¿Cómo estás? and ¿Cómo está?
It's about formality. '¿Cómo estás?' (with the -s) is informal — used with friends, family, peers, and children (the 'tú' form). '¿Cómo está?' (no -s) is formal — used with strangers, elders, and in professional or respectful settings (the 'usted' form). When in doubt with someone older or a stranger, use the formal '¿Cómo está usted?'
How do you pronounce ¿Cómo estás?
'¿Cómo estás?' is pronounced KOH-mo es-TAHS. 'Cómo' = KOH-mo (stress on KOH, note the accent). 'Estás' = es-TAHS (stress on TAHS, note the accent on á). The accent marks tell you where to stress. The 'á' in estás is what distinguishes the informal question form.
How do you answer ¿Cómo estás? in Spanish?
Common replies: 'Bien, gracias' (good, thanks), 'Muy bien' (very well), 'Más o menos' (so-so), 'Todo bien' (all good), 'Aquí, tranquilo/a' (just chilling), 'Más o menos' (so-so), or 'No muy bien' (not great). Usually you return the question: 'Bien, ¿y tú?' (good, and you?) or formally 'Bien, ¿y usted?'
What is the difference between estar and ser for 'how are you'?
Spanish has two verbs for 'to be': 'estar' (temporary states, conditions, location) and 'ser' (permanent traits, identity). 'How are you?' uses ESTAR ('¿Cómo estás?') because it asks about your current state/mood, which is temporary. You'd never use 'ser' here. This estar/ser distinction is one of the trickiest parts of Spanish.
What does ¿Qué tal? mean?
'¿Qué tal?' (keh tahl) is a casual, friendly way to say 'how's it going?' or 'what's up?' It's slightly more informal than '¿Cómo estás?' and works in most everyday situations. Other casual options: '¿Qué pasa?' (what's happening?), '¿Cómo te va?' (how's it going for you?), and the very informal '¿Qué onda?' (Mexico) or '¿Qué más?' (Colombia).