hola, mi amor, ¿cómo estás?
The English phrase "hello, my love. How are you?" is translated into Spanish as hola, mi amor, ¿cómo estás?
This phrase is an affectionate greeting used to ask about the well-being of a romantic partner or a loved one. You may also use hola, mi vida, ¿cómo estás? as a common alternative, which carries a similar level of affection. In informal contexts among couples or close friends, one might also say ¡Hola, cariño! ¿Cómo estás?, using cariño to mean "darling" or "sweetheart".
What does it mean word for word?
The component mi amor is composed of the possessive adjective mi (my) and the noun amor (love).
Which one should you use?
The phrase ¿cómo estás? is the informal version used for intimacy. In contrast, ¿cómo está? is the formal version. Using the latter when addressing a romantic partner would sound inappropriately distant.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ¿cómo estás? uses the informal tú conjugation of the verb estar, which is the appropriate way to address a romantic partner.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, terms of endearment like mi amor are used far more broadly than in English and can be said to strangers, such as a shopkeeper or a waitress.
- While mi amor is the standard, calling a partner mi cielo literally translates to 'my sky' or 'my heaven'.
- The word hola is thought to have evolved from the French command 'holà', used to shout 'stop!' or 'hey!' to grab someone's attention.
Examples in context
- Hola, mi amor. ¿Cómo estás? Espero que tu día esté yendo bien.Hello, my love. How are you? I hope your day is going well.
- ¡Hola, cariño! ¿Cómo estás? Hoy tengo una sorpresa especial para ti.Hello, sweetheart! How are you? Today, I have a special surprise for you.
- ¡Hola, amor mío! ¿Cómo estás? ¿Quieres acompañarme al cine esta noche?Hello, my love! How are you? Would you like to join me for a movie tonight?
- Hola, mi amor, ¿cómo estás? ¿Dormiste bien?Hello, my love, how are you? Did you sleep well?
Example conversation
Mateo greets María when she arrives home from work.
- MateoHola, mi amor, ¿cómo estás?Hello, my love, how are you?
- MaríaMuy bien, gracias, Mateo.Very well, thank you, Mateo.
- Mateo¿Tuviste un buen día?Did you have a good day?
- MaríaSí, fue un día muy tranquilo.Yes, it was a very calm day.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amor, cómo, hola, mi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
