¿buenos días, cómo estás?
The English phrase "good morning? How are you doing?" is translated into Spanish as ¿buenos días, cómo estás?
This phrase is a friendly greeting used in the morning to ask someone about their well-being. The greeting component, Buenos días, is used from the early morning until around midday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase buenos días literally translates to "good days".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to use Buen día ¿Cómo estás? instead of Buenos días ¿Cómo estás? In Mexico, the formal greeting Buenos días ¿Cómo está usted? is common. In Colombia, you may hear Buenos días ¿Cómo le va? as a more formal way of asking "how are you?"
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to this greeting is bien, gracias. ¿y tú?, which means "well, thanks. And you?"
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a greeting like buenos días is often accompanied by a single kiss on the cheek or a light hug between friends and family.
- The word cómo is derived from the Latin cōmō̆, which was a non-literary version of the word quōmodo.
- In very formal contexts, particularly in Spain, the question ¿cómo estás? may be replaced by ¿cómo se encuentra?, which literally asks how one 'finds themselves'.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier meet at a coffee shop in the morning.
- LucíaHola Javier, ¿buenos días, cómo estás?Hi Javier, good morning, how are you doing?
- JavierHola Lucía, estoy muy bien, gracias.Hi Lucía, I am doing very well, thank you.
- LucíaQué bueno. ¿Quieres un café?That's great. Do you want a coffee?
- JavierSí, me gustaría mucho.Yes, I would like one very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
