What does it mean word for word?
The word hoy at the end of the phrase specifically means "today".
Which one should you use?
While ¡hola!, ¿cómo estás hoy? is the standard translation for "hey, how are you doing today?", other variations exist depending on the level of familiarity. For example, you might use ¿Qué tal? to say "How's it going?" or ¿Cómo andas? to say "How are you doing?" in a more informal way.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may hear ¿Qué onda? In Argentina, you might hear ¿Cómo te va? or the colloquial ¿Cómo andás, che?, where che is a colloquial term used to address someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ¿cómo estás? uses the informal singular form estás, which is appropriate for friends, family or people your own age. To be more polite or formal, change estás to está.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a common and natural way to respond is Bien, ¿y tú? (Fine and you?).
Did you know?
- Although it is used as a friendly greeting, the word hola may have originated from the French expression holà, which was actually an emphatic command meaning 'hey, stop!'
Examples in context
- ¡Hola!, ¿cómo estás hoy?, ¿todo bien?Hey, how are you doing today? Everything good?
- ¡Hola!, ¿cómo estás hoy? Te veo cansada.Hey, how are you doing today? You look tired.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a coffee shop.
- Alejandro¡Hola!, ¿cómo estás hoy?Hi, how are you doing today?
- LucíaEstoy muy bien, gracias.I am very well, thank you.
- AlejandroQué bueno, Lucía.That's great, Lucia.
- Lucía¿Y tú, Alejandro?And you, Alejandro?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, hola, hoy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
