Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tudo bem? | /ˈtu.du ˈbẽj̃/ (Brazil, word by word) | |
| como vai? como está? | formal | |
| como estás? | informal | |
| como você vai? |
These phrases are used as greetings to ask how someone is doing. While tudo bem? is an extremely common informal way to ask the question, you can also use more direct forms like como vai? or como está? to inquire about someone's wellbeing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tudo bem? literally translates to "everything well?" in English.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the level of formality and the person being addressed. como estás? is an informal version used for friends or peers, while como está? uses the third-person singular to address someone formally. The phrase como você vai? uses the pronoun você to mean "you", which is the standard way to address people in most of Brazil.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use como vai? como está? or como está?, as como vai? is a standard and polite way to ask the question and como está? is a formal way to ask it. For informal situations, tudo bem? is the most common choice. Among friends, you might also hear the variation E aí, tudo bem?, where E aí? means "And what's up?" or "How's it going?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Brazil, you may hear Tudo bem contigo?, which means "Is everything well with you?" In Portugal, it is common to use the phrase Quais as novidades?, which means "What's new?" or "What's going on?" instead of a standard "how are you".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of tudo bem? is /ˈtu.du ˈbẽj̃/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with tudo bem?, a common and natural response is to repeat the phrase back as a statement: Tudo bem.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Olá e como você vai?Hello and how are you?This sentence demonstrates the use of como você vai?Tatoeba #3382727 by MarlonX19, translation #1674421 by garydale
- Olá mamãe, como estás?Hello mom, how are you?This sentence demonstrates the use of como estás?Tatoeba #9033332 by carlosalberto, translation #9033328 by carlosalberto
- Olá, tudo bem?Hello, how are you?This sentence demonstrates the use of tudo bem?Tatoeba #404838 by brauliobezerra, translation #138868 by CK
- Bom dia! Como vai você hoje?Good morning! How are you today?
- Boa tarde! Como está se sentindo?Good afternoon! How are you feeling?
- Oi! Tudo bem?Hi! How are you doing?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Lucas meet at a coffee shop.
- MarianaOi, Lucas, tudo bem?Hi, Lucas, how are you?
- LucasTudo bem, Mariana, e você?I'm fine, Mariana, and you?
- MarianaTudo ótimo!Everything is great!
- LucasQue bom.That's good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tudo, bem) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bem, como, está, tudo, vai, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
