¿Cómo estás?
standard
In Puerto Rico people ask ¿Cómo estás? and often say it as ¿Cómo tú estás?, keeping tú before the verb. It is also called ¿Qué tal?
Meaning: greeting asking about someone's well-being (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | standard |
| ¿Qué tal? | casual |
| ¿Cómo tú estás? | casual, Puerto Rico |
¿Qué tal? is a lighter way to ask the same thing. A common answer is Bien, ¿y tú?
Is it said differently in some regions?
Caribbean Spanish, including Puerto Rican, often keeps the pronoun in front of the verb in questions, so ¿Cómo tú estás? is natural there. Elsewhere the pronoun usually drops out or comes after the verb.
Did you know?
- Keeping tú before the verb in questions is a feature of Caribbean Spanish, shared with Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hi, how are you?
- ¿Cómo tú estás, mi amor?How are you, my love?
Example conversation
Nelly meets her friend Yolanda at a bakery in Ponce.
- NellyHola, Yolanda, ¿cómo tú estás?Hi, Yolanda, how are you?
- YolandaBien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Fine, thanks. And you?
- NellyBien también.Fine too.
