Hola, ¿cómo estás?
informal
The usual way to say hello and ask how someone is doing is Hola, ¿cómo estás? With someone you address formally, say Hola, ¿cómo está usted? It is also called Hola, ¿qué tal?
Meaning: greeting with a question about well-being (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola, ¿cómo estás? | informal |
| Hola, ¿cómo está usted? | formal |
| Hola, ¿qué tal? | casual |
Hola opens the greeting and the question follows right away. A common answer is Bien, gracias, ¿y tú?
Which one should you use?
¿Cómo estás? uses tú and fits friends, family and peers. ¿Cómo está usted? fits elders, officials and strangers you want to treat with respect. ¿Qué tal? is lighter and very common.
How does it change in a sentence?
Spanish questions carry an opening ¿ and a closing ? Both are written.
Did you know?
- The Spanish hola is written with a silent h, so it sounds like "OH-lah".
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hello, how are you?
- Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted?Good morning, how are you?
- Hola, ¿qué tal todo?Hello, how is everything?
Example conversation
Andrés meets his teacher Señora Vega in the school hallway.
- AndrésHola, señora Vega. ¿Cómo está usted?Hello, Mrs. Vega. How are you?
- Señora VegaMuy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Very well, thank you. And you?
- AndrésBien, gracias.Fine, thank you.
