The standard way of asking "How are you?" in Spanish it is "¿Cómo está?", but there are many other ways to ask this question, as there are many ways of answering it. Here are some of the more common translations you should know about.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Basic Question
Step 1. Ask politely "¿Cómo está usted?
"This is the literal translation of" How are you?"
- Cómo means "like".
- Está is the third person singular of the verb "estar", which means "to stay". Note that the verb "ser" (to be) is not used, as it indicates a permanent condition.
- Usted is the formal third-person singular pronoun. It is considered a formal way of addressing someone, so you should use it when you want to call "her". You can also ask the question without saying usted and the meaning will remain the same.
- Say this question as it is written.
Step 2. Ask a friend "¿Cómo estás?
"This is the translation of" how are you?"
- Estás is the second person singular of the verb estar and is used with the pronoun "you". It should only be used with someone you are familiar with, such as a friend or relative.
- Say this question as it is written.
Method 2 of 3: Other Ways of Asking the Question
Step 1. Use "¿Cómo te va?
"Translated literally, this question corresponds to" How are you doing?"
- The question can be interpreted as either "How are you doing?" or "How are you doing?"
- Te is a direct pronoun meaning ti.
- Va is a conjugated form of the verb ir which means to go.
- Say this question as it is written.
Step 2. Ask someone how they feel by asking "¿Cómo se siente?
"This question literally means" How do you feel?"
- Se is a direct pronoun. It can be used for both male and female third person or to give her.
- Siente is the third person singular of the verb to feel which means to feel
- Say this question as it is written.
- For someone you are familiar with, you can use "¿Cómo te sientes?" Instead.
Step 3. Use "¿Cómo van las cosas?
"which literally means" How are things going?"
- Cómo means "like" and van "is a conjugate form of the verb" ir "which means" to go ".
- "Las cosas" means things.
- Say this question as it is written.
Step 4. Ask "¿Cómo andas?
". Although it is a little less common, this is another question which means" How are you doing?"
- Andas is the second person singular of the verb andar, which means to go. Since the verb is conjugated in the second person singular, ask this question only to people you are familiar with.
- Say this question as it is written.
Step 5. Try asking "¿Qué pasa?
"This is a more informal way to ask someone how they are doing and corresponds to the Italian" How are you doing?"
- A more literal translation would be "What's going on?"
- Qué means "What", "What"
- Pasa is the third person singular of the verb pasar which means to happen or pass.
- Note that the third person does not refer to the pronoun usted ("she"), but to a neuter pronoun. Therefore this expression is considered informal.
- Ask this question Che pasa?
Step 6. Try "¿Qué tal?
". This is another question that can be interpreted as" How are you doing? ".
- The literal translation of this question has no meaning for an Italian speaker. Qué means that and tal means such, so the literal translation would be that such?
- Ask this question Che tal?
Method 3 of 3: Answer the Question
Step 1. Respond positively with "bien"
This adjective means "good".
- Say this word as it is written.
- You can also say "Estoy bien", which means "I'm fine". Estoy-pronounced estoi - is the first person singular of the verb "estar", in Italian "stare".
- To be polite, follow the answer with the word "gracias" pronounced grasias. This word means "thank you" and suggests to the other person that you are happy and grateful for asking how you are.
- If you feel really good, you can say "muy bien". Muy, pronounced mui, is an adverb that means a lot.
Step 2. Respond in the negative with "mal"
This word means bad.
- Say this word as it is written.
- As with bien, you can also answer "Estoy mal" to say "I'm sick" or "Muy mal" to say "Very bad". In this case, however, we usually avoid putting the "gracias" at the end.
Step 3. Use "más o menos" if your mood is uncertain
This expression means "so-so".
- Translated more literally, the expression means "more or less". Más means "more", or means "or" and menos means "less".
- Pronounce this expression as it is written.
Step 4. Explain how you feel with "Me siento
.. "This expression means" I feel … "and must be followed by an adjective that describes how you feel, such as" bien "or" mal ".
- This expression is usually used to answer the question "¿Cómo se siente?"
- Pronounce this expression as it is written.
Step 5. Answer "un poco cansado" or "una poco cansada" if you feel tired
It literally means "A little tired".
- Poco translates "little".
- Cansado means "tired".
- The suffix -o or -a depends on your gender. If you are a man, use "un poco cansado"
- If you are a woman use "a little cansada".
- Pronounce these expressions as they are written.
Step 6. Answer "estoy enfermo" or "estoy enferma" if you feel bad
The literal translation is "I'm bad".
- Estoy is the first person singular of the verb "estar" which means "to stay".
- Enfermo is an adjective which means "sick". The final suffix -o or -a depends on your gender. Use "enfermo" if you are a man and "enferma" if you are a woman.
- Pronounce "estoy enfermo" as estoi enfermo. In the feminine it is enferma
Step 7. Follow with "¿Y tú?
"This question is the literal translation of" what about you?"
- Use this question after someone has asked you how you are doing and you have given them an answer. In this way, you are asking the other person in turn how they are.
- Y means "and".
- Tú is the second-person singular pronoun. Note that if you are talking to someone you are not very familiar with, you should use the word "usted".
- The correct pronunciation of "¿y tú?" Hey you. For "¿y usted?", The pronunciation is i usted.
