Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?
The phrase 'good morning and how are you' in Spanish is Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?
When do people say it?
A common polite response to this greeting is Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y usted? (Very well, thank you. And you?).
Did you know?
- In Spain, it is common to pair the greeting Buenos días with two kisses on the cheeks, known as dos besos, when greeting friends or acquaintances.
- The word cómo is derived from the Latin cōmō̆, which was a non-literary, colloquial version of the formal word quōmodo.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to skip the 'how are you' part and simply say 'Buenos días' even if you are initiating a full conversation. The greeting is often treated as a complete social ritual rather than a literal question about your health.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, ¿cómo estás? ¿Todo bien?Good morning, how are you? Is everything okay?
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo meet at the office in the morning.
- LucíaBuenos días, ¿cómo estás?Good morning, how are you?
- MateoEstoy muy bien, gracias.I am very well, thank you.
- Lucía¿Y tú, Mateo?And you, Mateo?
- MateoYo también estoy bien.I am also doing well.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
