y cómo estás
/i komo estas/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for "I how are you" is y cómo estás.
This phrase is used to ask someone about their well-being. Common ways to answer this question include bien (well), muy bien (very well) or regular (so-so).
Which one should you use?
The form y cómo estás is the informal version used with friends or peers. In contrast, the formal version is y cómo está.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the informal phrase ¿Cómo andas? is used to ask how someone is. In Mexico, ¿Qué onda? is a casual way to ask "what's up?" or "how are you?" among friends.
Did you know?
- While bien is the standard answer to y cómo estás, many speakers will reply with ahí vamos, which literally means 'there we go' and implies they are just getting by.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking cómo estás is often treated as a greeting rather than a genuine inquiry, meaning the speaker does not actually expect a detailed report of your health.
- The word cómo is a descendant of the Latin cōmō̆, which was a non-literary version of the more formal quōmodo.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señor. ¿Cómo está usted hoy?Good morning, sir. How are you today?
- Disculpe, señora. ¿Cómo se encuentra?Excuse me, ma'am. How are you?
- Doctor, ¿cómo le va?Doctor, how is it going?
- ¡Hola Juan! ¿Cómo estás?Hi Juan! How are you?
- Buenos días, Luisa. ¿Qué tal?Good morning, Luisa. How are you?
- ¡Hola María! ¿Cómo te va por ahí?Hi María! How are things going for you?
- Che, ¿cómo andas?Hey, how are you?
- Amigos, ¿qué onda?Friends, what's up?
- Hola María, ¿y cómo estás hoy?Hello Maria, and how are you today?
- Todo bien, ¿y cómo estás tú?Everything is fine, and how are you?
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel meet in a park.
- Elena¡Hola Daniel! ¿Y cómo estás?Hello Daniel! And how are you?
- DanielMuy bien, gracias. ¿Y cómo estás tú?Very well, thank you. And how are you?
- ElenaTambién estoy muy bien.I am also very well.
- DanielMe alegra mucho escucharlo.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
