cómo estás hoy
/komo estas oi/from spelling rules
To say "how are you today" in Spanish, use cómo estás hoy.
This phrase is a friendly greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cómo (how), estás (you are – informal) and hoy (today).
Which one should you use?
The phrase uses the verb estás (from the verb estar) rather than ser because it refers to a temporary state of well-being rather than a permanent characteristic.
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to this greeting is Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Fine, thanks. And you?).
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, you might hear ¿cómo andas? instead of ¿cómo estás? This literally means 'how are you walking', but it is used to ask how someone is doing in life.
- While cómo estás hoy is grammatically correct, Spanish speakers rarely add the word hoy to the greeting. Adding 'today' can make the question sound like you are checking on someone who was previously sick or upset.
- The word cómo comes from the Latin word cōmō̆, which was a non-literary or colloquial version of the formal word quōmodo.
Examples in context
- Hola. ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hello. How are you today?This sentence shows a basic greeting with cómo estás hoy.Tatoeba #8814166 by arh, translation #9189176 by DJ_Saidez
- Hola, ¿cómo estás hoy?Hello, how are you today?Tatoeba #8814167 by arh, translation #9189169 by DJ_Saidez
- ¡Hola! Gracias por volar con nosotros. ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hi! Thanks for flying with us. How are you today?This sentence shows how to use cómo estás hoy in a professional service context.Tatoeba #1612635 by teskmon, translation #54597 by Zifre
- Hola, ¿cómo estás hoy?¿Hi, how are you today?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier meets María at a cafe in the morning.
- JavierHola, María. ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hello, María. How are you today?
- MaríaMuy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Very well, thank you. And you?
- JavierEstoy muy bien también.I am very well too.
- MaríaQué bueno saberlo.That is good to know.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, hoy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
