How do you say “how are you?” in Spanish? The standard phrase is ¿Cómo estás? — used in informal situations with people you know. The formal version, used with strangers, elders, or in professional contexts, is ¿Cómo está usted? But Spanish has several other common ways to ask, each with its own tone and feel. This guide covers all of them — with natural responses for each.
Quick Reference: All the Ways to Ask
| Spanish | English equivalent | Register |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? | Informal, standard |
| ¿Cómo está usted? | How are you? | Formal |
| ¿Qué tal? | How’s it going? / How are things? | Casual, very common |
| ¿Cómo te va? | How’s it going? | Informal, slightly warmer |
| ¿Cómo andas? | How are you doing? | Casual (Spain, Argentina) |
| ¿Qué hay? / ¿Qué hay de nuevo? | What’s up? / What’s new? | Very casual |
| ¿Cómo te encuentras? | How are you feeling? | Empathetic, often used when someone is unwell |
¿Cómo Estás? — The Standard
¿Cómo estás? is what you learn first, and it remains the most universally understood way to ask “how are you?” in informal Spanish. It uses the verb estar — the verb for temporary states — which is precisely why it is used here: you are asking about how someone is right now, not who they are as a person.
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? — Hi! How are you?
The formal version swaps estás (second person singular) for está (third person singular, which usted uses):
Buenos días, señor García. ¿Cómo está usted? — Good morning, Mr García. How are you?
If you are unsure about when to use tú vs usted, the Tú vs Usted guide explains the distinction — including the regional differences that affect which you should default to.
¿Qué Tal? — The Most Casual Alternative
¿Qué tal? is probably the most frequently used alternative to ¿cómo estás? in everyday speech, particularly in Spain. It is shorter, warmer, and can be thrown into any casual greeting without sounding formal.
¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? — Hey! How’s it going? ¿Qué tal el fin de semana? — How was the weekend? ¿Qué tal el trabajo? — How’s work?
¿Qué tal? can also follow a noun directly — “how was the thing?” — which makes it extremely flexible. You do not need to know the specific question structure; just attach it to whatever you want to ask about.
¿Cómo Te Va? — Warmer and More Personal
¿Cómo te va? literally means “how is it going for you?” and carries a slightly more involved tone — as if you are genuinely interested in how life is treating the person, not just exchanging pleasantries.
¿Cómo te va con el nuevo trabajo? — How’s the new job going? ¿Cómo te va por allí? — How are things over there?
¿Cómo Andas? — Regional Casual
Andar means “to walk” or “to go” — but ¿cómo andas? functions like “how are you doing?” and is common in Spain and Argentina in particular. It is informal and friendly without being slang.
¡Eh, tío! ¿Cómo andas? — Hey man! How are you doing?
How to Respond Naturally
Knowing how to ask is only half the skill — you also need natural answers ready.
| How you are | Spanish response | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Well / Good | Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? | The default; always add “and you?” |
| Very well | Muy bien, ¿y tú? | Enthusiastic but normal |
| Fine / Not bad | Tirando / Más o menos | Common in Spain — “getting by” |
| So-so | Regular | More honest; sounds slightly flat |
| Not great | No muy bien, la verdad. | Opens the door to more conversation |
| Tired | Cansado/a, pero bien. | Tired, but okay |
| Can’t complain | No me puedo quejar. | Warm, self-deprecating |
¿Y tú? (informal) or ¿Y usted? (formal) — “and you?” — should almost always follow your answer. In Spanish conversation, returning the question is the norm, not an optional courtesy.
Greetings That Go With “How Are You?”
“How are you?” rarely stands alone — it comes after a greeting. The most common combinations:
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? — Hi! How are you? ¡Buenos días! ¿Qué tal? — Good morning! How’s it going? ¡Buenas tardes! ¿Cómo le va? — Good afternoon! How are you doing? (formal) ¡Buenas! ¿Qué hay? — Hey! What’s up? (very casual, Spain)
¡Buenas! alone — short for buenos días / buenas tardes / buenas noches — is a common all-purpose greeting in Spain that works any time of day.
How This Connects to Ser and Estar
¿Cómo estás? uses estar (not ser) for a precise grammatical reason: it asks about a temporary, current state. If Spanish had used ser instead — ¿cómo eres? — it would mean “what kind of person are you?”, asking about a permanent characteristic.
This is the ser vs estar distinction at work in one of the first phrases learners ever encounter. The Ser vs Estar guide explains the full rule — once you understand it, you will see it operating everywhere in Spanish, not just in greetings.
Practise in Conversation
Greetings and small talk are exactly what the Learning Journey is built around — realistic dialogue that puts these exchanges in context. The first few steps of any scenario start with a greeting, which means you practise ¿qué tal? and ¿cómo estás? naturally, alongside the vocabulary the scenario is actually teaching.
The best way to make these phrases automatic is to use them — out loud, with a real or imagined conversation partner — until the response bien, gracias, ¿y tú? comes without thinking. That automaticity is the foundation of fluent small talk.