What does it mean word for word?
The word cómo translates literally to "how", and estás means "you are", representing the second-person singular present indicative of the verb estar (to be).
Which one should you use?
While Hola, ¿cómo estás? is a standard informal way to ask how someone is, you may use ¿Cómo están? if you are addressing more than one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hola, ¿cómo estás? is informal. For a formal context or when speaking to someone older to show respect, use ¿Cómo está usted? instead. Other polite options include Buenos días, ¿cómo se encuentra? (Good morning, how are you?) or Buenas tardes, ¿cómo le va? (Good afternoon, how's it going?). For a more colloquial feel, you can use Hola, ¿qué tal? or ¿Cómo te va?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to hear ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? In Mexico, ¿Qué onda? is a commonly used informal alternative for friends. In Argentina, the informal greeting ¿Todo bien? is used to mean "Is everything okay?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ¿Cómo estás? uses the informal singular form of the verb estar.
When do people say it?
A standard, polite response to this greeting is Bien, gracias (Fine, thanks).
Did you know?
- The word hola might have originated as an exclamation used to command someone to 'stop!' rather than a friendly greeting.
- While ¿Cómo estás? asks about your state, the Mexican slang ¿Qué onda? literally translates to 'What wave?', referring to the 'vibe' or 'energy' of a situation.
- The greeting ¿Cómo se encuentra? is a much more formal version that literally asks how a person 'finds themselves'.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hey, how are you doing?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
