How to Say How Are You in Spanish: Formal and Informal

How do you say how are you in Spanish?

The standard phrase is ¿cómo estás? (“KOH-moh es-TAHS”), which means “how are you?” in an everyday, informal way. You’ll use it with friends, family, classmates, and anyone roughly your own age.

It comes from the verb estar (“to be”), which Spanish uses for moods and states. So you’re literally asking “how are you feeling right now?” If you only learn one version, make it this one.

Tip: remember the opening ¿. Spanish marks questions at both ends, so it’s ¿cómo estás?, not just “cómo estás?”.

Formal vs informal: tú or usted?

Spanish has two ways of saying “you,” and it changes the phrase:

• ¿Cómo estás? → informal, with tú. For friends, family, and peers.
• ¿Cómo está usted? → formal, with usted. For strangers, elders, clients, or anyone you want to show respect.

For example: you’d ask a friend ¿cómo estás?, but a new client ¿cómo está usted? When in doubt with an adult you don’t know, the formal version is the safe, polite choice. To get the greeting before it right, see our guide to greetings in Spanish.

Casual ways to ask how are you in Spanish

In everyday speech, Spanish speakers rarely stop at ¿cómo estás? Here are the most useful casual alternatives:

• ¿Qué tal? → “how’s it going?”, short, friendly, and works almost everywhere.
• ¿Cómo te va? → “how’s it going for you?”, warm and personal.
• ¿Qué pasa? → “what’s up?”, relaxed and common among friends.
• ¿Cómo andas? → “how are you doing?”, casual and a little playful.

How to answer “how are you” in Spanish

When someone asks you, here’s how to reply, from great to so-so:

• Muy bien, gracias → “very well, thank you.”
• Bien, ¿y tú? → “good, and you?”, the everyday answer.
• Todo bien → “all good,” relaxed and common.
• Más o menos → “so-so,” when you’re not at your best.
• Ahí ando → “getting by,” casual, especially in Latin America.

For example: —¿Qué tal? —Muy bien, ¿y tú? Returning the question is what makes you sound natural rather than textbook.

Asking a group: how are you all?

Talking to more than one person? Spanish has you covered:

• ¿Cómo están? → “how are you all?” (the standard plural across Latin America, and formal in Spain).
• ¿Cómo estáis? → the informal plural used in Spain (the vosotros form).

Other ways to check in

Beyond a simple “how are you,” these let you sound more natural and curious:

• ¿Qué hay de nuevo? → “what’s new?”
• ¿Cómo va todo? → “how’s everything going?”
• ¿Cómo te sientes? → “how are you feeling?”, when someone’s been unwell.

Tip: in a quick text, you’ll often see ¿q tal?, the shorthand for ¿qué tal?

Regional flavors worth recognizing

Different countries have their own favorites:

• Mexico: ¿Qué onda? (“what’s up?”), very casual.
• Argentina: ¿Cómo andás? (with the vos form).
• Colombia: ¿Quihubo? or ¿Qué más?
• Spain: ¿Qué tal? is everywhere.

You don’t need to use all of them, but recognizing them helps you understand real conversations.

A mistake to avoid: ser vs estar

Here’s the trap that catches almost every beginner. Don’t ask ¿cómo eres? to mean “how are you.” That question uses ser and asks what someone is like (their personality or looks).

To ask how someone is or feels right now, you always need estar: ¿cómo estás? Same English word, two very different Spanish verbs, so it’s worth getting right.

A quick guide to choosing the right phrase

• Everyday, informal: ¿cómo estás?
• Formal/respectful: ¿cómo está usted?
• Short and casual: ¿qué tal?
• Answer: bien, ¿y tú?

So, next time someone asks ¿cómo estás?, you’ll know exactly what to say. Want more everyday lines? Start with our Spanish phrases for beginners. Tell us in the comments how your first conversation goes!