Ways to say it
| Filipino | IPA |
|---|---|
| kumusta ka? | /kumusˈta ka/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
| kumusta? | |
| kumusta ka na? | /kumusˈta ka na/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
| kumusta na? | /kumusˈta na/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
These phrases are used as greetings to inquire about a person's well-being. While the core greeting is used to ask how someone is, it can function as a general way to say "how's it going?" depending on the form used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word kumusta is derived from the Spanish phrase ¿cómo está? and literally means "how is it" or "how are you".
Which one should you use?
Kumusta? is a general, casual greeting similar to "how's it going?", whereas kumusta ka? is a direct question about a specific person's state. Adding na to the phrase, as in kumusta ka na? or kumusta na?, implies a sense of "now" or "since we last spoke" and is often used when checking in on someone after a period of time has passed.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people or to show respect to an elder, replace the singular pronoun ka with the plural/polite pronoun kayo, resulting in kumusta kayo?
How do you pronounce it?
/kumusˈta ka/
When do people say it?
A common and standard response to kumusta ka? is Mabuti (Fine/Good).
Did you know?
- While kumusta comes from Spanish, the word ka used for 'you' is inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian, a much older language family.
- In Filipino culture, switching from ka to kayo when asking kumusta kayo? is not just for groups, but is a critical marker of social hierarchy and respect.
- Even though the phrase is a question, many Filipinos use it as a polite conversational opener where a detailed answer about one's health is not actually expected.
Examples in context
- "Kumusta ka?" – "Mabuti naman!""How are you?" "Fine, thank you."This example shows a standard exchange when asking how someone is.Tatoeba #2289513 by Adelpa, translation #2289584 by Adelpa
- Kumusta ka? Nagkaroon ka ba ng isang maligayang paglalakbay?How are you? Did you have a good trip?This example shows the phrase used as a greeting when asking about a person's recent experience.Tatoeba #2456883 by ovillevincent, translation #1716 by CK
- Kumusta ka? Matagal tayong hindi nagkita.How are you? It has been a long time since we last met.
Example conversation
Maria and Antonio meet at a coffee shop.
- MariaAntonio, kumusta ka?Antonio, how are you?
- AntonioMabuti naman, Maria. Ikaw?I'm doing well, Maria. And you?
- MariaOk lang din ako. Salamat!I'm doing okay too. Thanks!
- AntonioButi naman at okay ka.It's good that you're doing okay.
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 (kumusta, ka, na) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ka, kumusta, na, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
