espero que estés bien
/espeɾo ke estes bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I hope you are doing well" is translated into Spanish as espero que estés bien.
This is a polite expression used to wish someone good health and happiness, often at the start of a letter or message.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I hope that you be well".
Which one should you use?
Using estés (from the verb estar) focuses on a temporary state of well-being, whereas seas (from ser) would imply a permanent personality trait.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, Espero que se encuentre bien is a common formal expression when addressing someone with respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address someone formally, change estés to esté. To address a group of people, use estén instead of estés or esté.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to follow this phrase with a series of specific questions about the recipient's family members by name.
- The word que in this phrase is a linguistic descendant of the Latin 'quid', which means 'what'.
- In very traditional Spanish business letters, these well-wishes are sometimes placed in a separate introductory paragraph before the main subject.
Examples in context
- Espero que se encuentre bien, señor García.I hope you are doing well, Mr. Garcia.
- Hola, espero que estés bien.Hello, I hope you are doing well.
- Espero que estés bien en tu nuevo trabajo.I hope you are doing well in your new job.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are exchanging messages on a messaging app.
- SofíaHola Javier, espero que estés bien.Hello Javier, I hope you are doing well.
- JavierHola Sofía, sí, todo va de maravilla.Hello Sofía, yes, everything is going wonderfully.
- SofíaMe alegro mucho de escucharlo.I am very happy to hear that.
- JavierGracias, espero que tú también estés bien.Thank you, I hope you are doing well too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
