What does it mean word for word?
The part como vai? literally translates to "how goes?", where the subject is implied.
Which one should you use?
While Olá, como vai? is a standard way to ask how someone is, Como vai? is slightly more formal or standard than the more common Tudo bem? used in daily life. For a very casual alternative to "Hello, how are you?", you can use E aí, tudo bem? (Hey, everything good?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In more casual settings, you can replace it with Olá, como você está? For very informal situations, you might use Oi! Como vai? (Hi! How are you?), Olá! Como vai? (Hello! How are you?) or E aí (What's up).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, people sometimes use Boas as a shorter way of saying Boa tarde or Boa noite.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are greeting more than one person, you should change vai to vão to use the plural form, as in Como vão? (How are you (plural)?).
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a common response is Tudo bem, e você? (Everything is fine and you?).
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the casual Tudo bem? is often used as both the question and the answer, making the greeting a rhythmic exchange of the same phrase.
- Depending on the region, the casual greeting E aí can be accompanied by a slight upward nod or a chin flick in Brazil.
- The word olá is thought by many linguists to be a loanword from the Spanish greeting hola.
Examples in context
- Olá, como vai?Hello, how are you?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries como, olá, vai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
