24 Ways To Ask ‘How Are You?’ in Spanish + Responses

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To ask “how are you?” in Spanish, one of the most basic Spanish phrases is ¿Cómo estás? You’ve also likely heard the response muy bien (very well). This works quite well when you’re on a first-name basis with someone and you don’t have a lot of time to chat. 

Once you know how to say “hello” in Spanish, practice several ways to say “how are you?” Learn questions and responses to start your conversations with friends, co-workers, and strangers, so that you can switch between formal and informal conversation with ease. 

How do you say ‘how are you?’ in Spanish? 

There are multiple ways to ask this simple question, depending who you’re talking to. If you’re speaking to only one person, you’ll distinguish between the usted vs. tú forms of “you.” Usted is more formal, while tú is appropriate in casual settings. 

• ¿Cómo está (usted)? = How are you? (formal) 
• ¿Cómo estás? = How are you? (informal, singular) 

If you’re speaking to a group, follow the conjugation of estar (to be) depending on who you are talking to. 

• ¿Cómo estáis? = How are you? (plural informal, only used in Spain) 
• ¿Cómo están? = How are you? (plural, both formal/informal in Latin America) 

Note that the verb estar is the appropriate verb to use because it’s the verb for “to be” in Spanish that is used to discuss feelings and temporary states of being. If you were to use the verb ser (the other verb for “to be”) you’d be asking “what are you like as a person.”

Formal ways to ask ‘how are you?’

If you’re meeting someone for the first time, you’ll want to avoid using expressions that are too casual. It might be considered too forward, rude, or even aggressive unless you know the person well. Instead, stick with a few of these more formal questions that use the usted forms of the verb. 

Be sure to start with a greeting, like “Good afternoon” in Spanish. 

Asking ‘how are you?’ in a casual scenario

These expressions are the informal tú forms of the expressions above. The slight changes in conjugation are needed to match the informal subject pronoun. 

If you’re not quite familiar enough to tutear (address the person with tú), a friendly “hi, how are you?” in Spanish is a great way to make friends. You’ll get a sense after a while when the verb forms become more informal. How long that takes (or if it ever does) depends on the Spanish-speaking culture. 

Spanish slang and colloquial phrases for ‘how are you?’

There are also slang ways to say “how are you?” in Spanish that vary between Spanish-speaking countries and cultures. Listen carefully to those around you to see what’s common to say, or ask one of Rosetta Stone’s expert tutors for some suggestions that are common in their regional dialect or generation. 

Most of these simply convey the same meaning as “how are you,” but it’s interesting to see what the words would mean if they were translated word-for-word. You can look up individual phrases in a trusted resource like Spanish Dictionary to see examples of them used in context. 

How to respond to ‘how are you?’ in Spanish

Many times you’ll respond to the standard Buenos días, ¿Cómo estás? (Good morning, how are you?) in Spanish with a simple bien, gracias or estoy bien, gracias (I’m well, thank you). This is common and standard in most cases where an extended conversation isn’t expected. 

If you’re gathering with a large group of friends and family members, you may be expected to exchange greetings with everyone at the event, repeating the process to say “goodbye” in Spanish. 

That may take a while, so you may not give too many details about your feelings or what’s been happening unless you’re sitting down to tomar un café (have a coffee) and have a conversation with your friend. If that’s the case, you’ll be ready with some follow-up questions in Spanish. 

As you practice a variety of responses, try to avoid the popular yet dated así-así (so-so), as it isn’t common anymore among native speakers. Consider some more natural-sounding alternatives.

Continue your conversation with a few more details. You could ask “what are you doing?” in Spanish, and perhaps make a plan to enjoy a snack or social event together.

Fitting in with any group of native speakers

Knowing how to navigate even the simplest of conversations within a new culture takes observation and curiosity. Memorizing lists of questions and responses will only get you so far if you’re unsure when it’s appropriate to use formal vs. informal language. No one wants to be stressed over the details of conjugating a regular Spanish verb when they’re meeting a new friend. 

Part of how Rosetta Stone works is to provide opportunities to see these phrases in authentic contexts, between people of different ages and in different situations, like meeting for the first time or greeting a professional. If you’re around native speakers, pay attention to the greetings they use with each other and don’t be afraid to ask questions. With some guidance, you’ll feel confident in your Spanish conversations.