¿cómo estuvo?
The English phrase "how was it?" is translated into Spanish as ¿cómo estuvo?
¿cómo estuvo? is used to ask about someone's experience regarding a specific event or activity that has already finished, such as a party, a movie or a trip.
Which one should you use?
While ¿cómo estuvo? asks about a completed event, you might use ¿cómo era? if you are asking for a description or inquiring about an ongoing state in the past. Additionally, ¿Qué tal estuvo? can be used to mean both "How was it?" and "How did it go?" If you want to ask how something went specifically for the person you are talking to, you can say ¿Cómo te fue? (How did it go for you?) or ¿Cómo te fue en…? (How was it for you?).
Is it said differently in some regions?
¿Cómo estuvo la movida? is an informal expression common in Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ¿cómo estuvo? uses the preterite tense, which is the tense used for completed actions in the past.
Did you know?
- If you are asking about a movie in Spain, you might hear someone ask ¿Qué tal la película? instead of using the verb 'to be' at all.
- The word cómo descends from the Latin cōmō̆, which was a non-literary version of the more formal quōmodo.
- The informal phrase ¿cómo estuvo la movida? uses movida, which can refer to a party, a scene or even a complicated situation or 'drama'.
Examples in context
- Entonces, ¿cómo estuvo la reunión de hoy?So, how was today's meeting?
- Simón, cuéntanos qué tal estuvo la cena anual.Simon, tell us how the annual dinner was.
- Doctora, ¿cómo le fue en su viaje a Europa?Doctor, how was your trip to Europe?
- Oye, Pedro, ¿cómo estuvo la movida anoche?Hey, Pedro, how was the scene last night?
- Amiga, ¿cómo te fue en la entrevista de trabajo?Friend, how was your job interview?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a movie María saw.
- DanielVi la película nueva anoche.I saw the new movie last night.
- María¿Cómo estuvo?How was it?
- DanielEstuvo muy emocionante y larga.It was very exciting and long.
- MaríaAhora yo quiero verla.Now I want to see it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
