How Are You in Spanish: 15+ Ways to Greet Anyone

So you've learned "¿Cómo estás?" and now you're wondering if there's more to greeting people in Spanish. Good news: there's a whole bunch of ways to ask "how are you" depending on who you're talking to, where you are, and how formal you want to sound. Spanish speakers use different phrases for their boss versus their best friend, and each Spanish-speaking country has its own favorite expressions. Let's break down all the different ways to greet someone so you can sound natural in any situation.

The basic greeting in Spanish

The most common way to ask "how are you" in Spanish is "¿Cómo estás?" This is what most textbooks teach first, and honestly, it works in tons of situations. The phrase literally translates to "how are you" and uses the informal "tú" form of the verb "estar."

When you see "¿Cómo estás?" written out, the pronunciation is pretty straightforward: KOH-moh ehs-TAHS. The accent on the "o" in "cómo" tells you to stress that syllable.

Here's the thing about this phrase. It's informal, which means you use it with friends, family, kids, and people your age. You wouldn't use it with your professor, your boss, or someone significantly older unless they've told you it's cool to be casual.

A typical exchange looks like this:

Pretty simple, right?

Formal ways to ask how someone is doing

When you need to show respect or maintain professional distance, you'll want to switch to the formal "usted" form. The phrase becomes "¿Cómo está?" or the even more formal "¿Cómo está usted?"

The difference is subtle but important. You're using "está" instead of "estás" because you're conjugating the verb for the formal "usted" pronoun. Sometimes people include "usted" at the end for extra clarity or emphasis, but "¿Cómo está?" works perfectly fine on its own.

Use these formal greetings when you're talking to:

In business emails or professional settings, you might also see "¿Cómo se encuentra?" which is another formal way to ask how someone is doing. It's a bit more elaborate and shows extra politeness.

¿Qué tal? and other casual alternatives

If "¿Cómo estás?" feels too formal even for casual situations, Spanish speakers have shorter options. "¿Qué tal?" is super common and basically means "what's up" or "how's it going." You'll hear this constantly in Spain and throughout Latin America.

The cool thing about "¿Qué tal?" is that it works as both a greeting and a question. You can say it when you first see someone, and they might respond with "bien" or just say "¿qué tal?" right back.

Another casual option is "¿Cómo te va?" which translates to "how's it going for you?" This one's a bit more personal because you're asking about how things are going in their life generally, not just how they feel right now.

You can also combine phrases. "¿Qué tal estás?" mixes "qué tal" with "estás" for a casual but complete question. Spanish is flexible like that.

Regional variations across Spanish-speaking countries

Different Spanish-speaking countries have their own favorite ways to greet people, and learning these makes you sound way more natural when you're traveling or talking to people from specific regions.

In Mexico, you'll hear "¿Qué onda?" all the time, especially among younger people. It literally means "what wave" but functions like "what's up" in English. Super casual.

Argentinians and Uruguayans love "¿Qué hacés?" (what are you doing?) or "¿Cómo andás?" (how are you walking/going?). These use the "vos" form instead of "tú," which is a whole other pronoun system used in parts of South America.

In Spain, particularly in southern regions, people say "¿Cómo andamos?" even when talking to just one person. The plural "we" form creates a friendly, inclusive vibe.

Colombians might greet you with "¿Qué más?" (what else?) or "¿Bien o qué?" (good or what?). The second one basically assumes you're doing well and just wants confirmation.

In the Caribbean, especially Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, you'll hear "¿Cómo tú ta?" which is a shortened, colloquial version of "¿Cómo tú estás?" The pronunciation gets relaxed in casual speech.

Responding to Spanish greetings

Knowing how to respond is just as important as asking the question. The most basic response is "bien" (good) or "muy bien" (very good). You can add "gracias" (thanks) and then return the question.

Common responses include:

If someone asks "¿Cómo está usted?" you should respond with the formal form too: "Bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?"

In casual situations, especially with close friends, responses get more creative. You might hear "aquí, en la lucha" (here, in the struggle) or "sobreviviendo" (surviving) said with humor.

The key is matching the energy and formality level of the person who greeted you first.

Plural forms for greeting groups

When you're greeting multiple people, you need to adjust your phrases to plural forms. "¿Cómo estás?" becomes "¿Cómo están?" for a group.

In Spain, there's an additional informal plural form: "¿Cómo estáis?" This uses the "vosotros" pronoun that's specific to Spain. In Latin America, they skip "vosotros" entirely and use "¿Cómo están?" for both formal and informal plural situations.

So if you walk into a room of friends in Madrid, you'd say "¿Cómo estáis?" but in Mexico City, you'd say "¿Cómo están?" to the same group.

For "¿qué tal?" the good news is it doesn't change. You can say "¿qué tal?" to one person or ten people, and it works either way.

Time-specific greetings

Spanish has specific greetings for different times of day, and you can combine these with "¿cómo estás?" for a complete greeting.

"Buenos días" (good morning) works from sunrise until roughly lunchtime. "Buenas tardes" (good afternoon) covers from lunch until sunset. "Buenas noches" (good evening/night) starts when it gets dark.

You can say "Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?" as a complete greeting. In casual speech, people often shorten "buenas tardes" and "buenas noches" to just "buenas."

These time-based greetings are pretty universal across all Spanish-speaking countries, though the exact timing of when afternoon becomes evening varies by culture and region.

What are the three greetings in Spanish?

The three most essential greetings in Spanish are "hola" (hello), "¿cómo estás?" (how are you), and "¿qué tal?" (how's it going). These three cover most casual situations you'll encounter.

"Hola" is the universal hello that works anytime, anywhere, with anyone. You can use it alone or combine it with other phrases: "Hola, ¿cómo estás?"

If you only learn these three phrases, you'll be able to greet people appropriately in the majority of everyday situations. Add the formal "¿cómo está?" and you've got your bases covered for professional settings too.

How to respond to "¿Cómo estás hoy?"

When someone asks "¿Cómo estás hoy?" (how are you today), they're adding "hoy" (today) to ask specifically about your current state. This is slightly more personal than just "¿cómo estás?" because they're checking in on your day.

You can respond with any of the standard responses, but you might add a bit more detail:

The "hoy" gives you an opening to share a bit more about your actual day if you want to have a real conversation beyond just the standard greeting exchange.

Context matters more than you think

Here's something textbooks don't always explain well: context determines which greeting sounds natural. A way to ask "how are you" that works perfectly in one situation might sound weird in another.

If you're meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time, "¿Cómo están?" or "¿Cómo está usted?" shows respect. But if you use that same formal greeting with your college roommate, they'll think you're being sarcastic or weird.

In professional emails, starting with "Estimado Sr. García, ¿Cómo está?" (Dear Mr. García, how are you?) is standard. But in a text message to a friend, you'd never write that formally.

Regional context matters too. If you're in Argentina and you keep using "tú" forms when everyone around you uses "vos," you'll sound like a textbook instead of a real person. Pay attention to what native speakers around you actually say.

Common mistakes learners make

One mistake I see constantly is people forgetting to match formality levels. They'll use "¿cómo estás?" with their Spanish teacher or "¿cómo está usted?" with their friends. Both technically work, but they sound off.

Another issue is pronunciation. "¿Cómo estás?" and "¿Cómo está?" sound really similar, but that final "s" makes the difference between informal and formal. Practice saying both clearly.

Some learners also forget that "¿cómo?" means "how?" so they try to answer with "yes" or "no," which doesn't make sense. You're being asked about your state or condition, not a yes/no question.

And here's a subtle one: in English, we often say "how are you?" without really expecting a detailed answer. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, especially in smaller towns or close-knit communities, people might actually want to know. Be prepared for actual conversations, not just ritualized exchanges.

Slang and very informal expressions

Once you get comfortable with the basics, you can explore slang expressions that native speakers use with close friends. These vary wildly by country and age group.

In Mexico, young people might say "¿Qué pex?" or "¿Qué tranza?" Both are super casual versions of "what's up." In Chile, you'll hear "¿Cómo estái?" which drops the final "s" from "estás."

Spain has "¿Qué pasa, tío?" (what's up, dude?) where "tío" literally means "uncle" but functions like "dude" or "mate." In the Caribbean, "¿Qué lo que?" is common, especially in the Dominican Republic.

These slang greetings change fast and vary by generation, so what's cool now might sound dated in a few years. Use them carefully and only after you've heard native speakers use them in similar contexts.

Making greetings sound natural

The difference between sounding like a textbook and sounding natural often comes down to small details. Native speakers rarely say just "¿cómo estás?" by itself. They usually add "hola" first or combine it with other elements.

Natural combinations sound like:

Also, pay attention to rhythm and speed. Native speakers often blend words together in casual speech. "¿Cómo estás?" might sound more like "¿Cómotas?" when said quickly between friends.

The greeting usually flows into a quick exchange before moving to the actual conversation. Getting this rhythm down makes your Spanish sound way more fluent.

What are 5 Spanish words?

Five essential Spanish words everyone should know are "hola" (hello), "gracias" (thank you), "por favor" (please), "adiós" (goodbye), and "sí" (yes). These basic words get you through tons of interactions.

But if we're talking about greeting-specific vocabulary, these five matter most: "¿cómo?" (how), "estás" (you are, informal), "está" (you are, formal), "bien" (good), and "gracias" (thanks). Combine these and you can handle basic greeting exchanges.

Learning these core words before moving to full phrases helps you understand how the language builds sentences and why different forms exist.

Putting it all together

Learning different ways to say "how are you" in Spanish gives you flexibility to match any social situation. Start with "¿cómo estás?" for casual situations and "¿cómo está?" for formal ones. Add "¿qué tal?" for super casual interactions.

As you get more comfortable, pick up the regional variations that match where you're learning or who you're talking to. An Argentine friend? Learn "¿cómo andás?" A Mexican coworker? Try "¿qué tal?" or "¿qué onda?"

The formality distinction between tú and usted matters way more in Spanish than most English speakers realize. Getting this right shows cultural awareness and respect.

Practice responding naturally too. The greeting exchange is a two-way street, and knowing how to keep the conversation flowing matters just as much as asking the initial question.

Anyway, if you want to practice these greetings with real Spanish content, Migaku's browser extension lets you look up words and phrases instantly while watching shows or reading articles in Spanish. Makes learning from actual conversations way easier than just memorizing lists. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.