Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kamusta | /kamusˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) | alternative form |
| kumusta | /kumusˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) | |
| hoy | /ˈhoj/ (Standard Tagalog) | |
| huy | /ˈhuj/ (Standard Tagalog) | |
| oy | /ˈʔoj/ (Standard Tagalog) | informal |
| oi | informal | |
| uy | /ˈʔuj/ (Standard Tagalog) | informal |
| ui | informal |
The phrase is used as a greeting, but its literal meaning is "how are you?" While it is often used to say "hello", it is also used to ask about someone's well-being, such as in the informal phrase kumusta ka na, which means "how are you now?"
What does it mean word for word?
The word kumusta is derived from the Spanish phrase ¿cómo está?, which means "how are you?"
Which one should you use?
kumusta is the standard form, while kamusta is an alternative spelling. Other forms like hoy, huy, oy, ui and uy are used as interjections to grab someone's attention rather than as a standard greeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To grab someone's attention, you might use the colloquial interjections oy, ui or uy. The forms hoy and huy are also used to get attention abruptly, but they are considered very informal or even rude depending on the tone used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the greeting polite or to address a group, you can add the plural pronoun kayo after the greeting, resulting in kumusta kayo. To make other greetings more polite, you can use the word po to show respect.
How do you pronounce it?
/kamusˈta/
When do people say it?
Tagalog speakers use various time-based greetings such as Magandang umaga (Good morning), Magandang tanghali (Good afternoon, used at noon or early afternoon), Magandang hapon (Good afternoon, used from around 3:00 pm onwards) and Magandang gabi (Good evening). To show respect or politeness in these greetings, speakers add the word po (for example, Magandang umaga po!).
Did you know?
- The greeting kumusta can be traced back through Spanish and Latin to the Proto-Indo-European roots *kʷos and *med-.
- The word po is not a greeting itself but a linguistic marker of respect that can be inserted into almost any greeting to change its social register.
Examples in context
- Kumusta, nariyan ba ang kontador?Hello, is the accountant there, please?This sentence shows how to use kumusta when asking if someone is present.Tatoeba #14056729 by Krashanami, translation #30976 by CN
- Kamusta!Hello!This sentence shows a simple use of kamusta.Tatoeba #5308197 by katalex, translation #373330 by CK
- Kamusta, Tom!Hello, Tom!This sentence shows kamusta used when addressing a specific person.Tatoeba #5296202 by katalex, translation #5295843 by KatKoba
- Kamusta ka?How are you?
- Kumusta ka na?How are you now?
Example conversation
Christina and Mark meet at a local coffee shop.
- ChristinaKamusta, Mark!Hello, Mark!
- MarkKamusta rin, Christina.Hello too, Christina.
- ChristinaAng tagal nating hindi nagkita.It has been a long time since we saw each other.
- MarkOo nga, sobra.Yes, indeed, a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries kamusta, kumusta, hoy, huy, oy, uy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hoy, huy, kamusta, kumusta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
