Kumusta
everyday
In Tagalog you can greet someone with Kumusta, which also means "how are you". Friends often shorten it to Musta, and many Filipinos simply say Hi.
Meaning: casual greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Filipino | Note |
|---|---|
| Kumusta | everyday |
| Musta | casual |
| Hi | casual |
Kumusta works as both "hello" and "how are you". For a longer question, add ka to get Kumusta ka?, which means "how are you?"
Which one should you use?
Musta is the casual short form and works with friends and classmates. Hi is understood everywhere in the Philippines.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To be polite to an older person, add po as in Kumusta po, and use kayo instead of ka.
Did you know?
- The word kumusta comes from the Spanish ¿cómo está?, a reminder of the Spanish period in the Philippines.
Examples in context
- Kumusta ka?How are you?
- Musta na?How have you been?
Example conversation
Ana meets her friend Ben outside the school in Quezon City.
- AnaKumusta, Ben?Hi, Ben. How are you?
- BenMabuti naman. Ikaw?I am fine. And you?
- AnaMabuti rin.Fine too.
