Say “¿Cómo estás?” (koh-moh ehs-tahs) in most situations. “¿Cómo estás?” is the most basic way to say “How are you?” This phrase is appropriate in almost any context when talking to almost any person, whether you previously knew them or not. However, there is a more formal version, used particularly in Central American countries.^[1]

Use “¿Cómo está usted?” (koh-moh ehs-tah oos-tehd) when you need to be more polite. There really isn’t a formal way to say “How are you?” in Spanish. However, “¿Cómo está usted?” is used, primarily in Central America, when talking to someone who is older than you or in a position of authority.^[2]

Ask “¿Cómo están?” (koh-moh ehs-tahn) if you’re greeting multiple people. If you walk up to a group of people and want to greet all of them, you might ask “¿Cómo están?” The verb is conjugated for the plural “you,” so this is similar to saying “How are y’all doing?” or “How are you guys doing?” in English.^[3]

Try alternatives to “¿Cómo estás?” in informal settings. Just as in English and other languages, there are informal ways to say “How are you” in Spanish. These alternatives could be roughly translated as the equivalent to saying “what’s happening” or “what’s up” in English. They’re appropriate in casual social situations or when talking to people around your own age who you know fairly well, so you should only use them in relatively informal situations with people you know or people who are your age or younger. Some alternatives are:^[4]

Experiment with regional slang in casual contexts. Different Spanish-speaking countries also have different phrases that serve as alternatives to “¿Cómo estás?” Regional or local slang can make your Spanish seem more natural. Since they’re slang, they’re typically only appropriate in social settings when greeting people around your own age. Some examples are:^[5]

Use “¿Cómo te sientes?” (koh-moh tay see-ehn-tay) to ask someone how they feel. With “¿Cómo te sientes?” you’re literally asking someone how they are feeling. This question is typically more appropriate if you know someone hasn’t been feeling well lately. Generally, it’s not used as a direct alternative to “¿Cómo estás?”

• If you’re not familiar with the person, you might instead ask “¿Cómo se siente?” (koh-moh say see-ehn-tay) It’s the same question, but using a more formal pronoun.

Say “bien” (bee-ehn) in most situations. English-speakers typically don’t take “How are you?” literally, and neither do Spanish speakers in most situations. Just as you would respond to the question with “fine” or “good” in English, in Spanish you would most often answer “bien (bee-ehn).^[6]

Switch to “más o menos” (mahs oh meh-nohs) if you don’t feel quite as enthusiastic. If you’re having a rough day and don’t feel so “bien,” but don’t want to say so (which would be awkward), you can use “más o menos” (mahs oh meh-nohs), which means “so-so.” The English equivalent would be responding “I’m alright” or “I’m okay.”^[7]

Follow up with “¿Y tú?” to turn the question around to the other person. If you weren’t the first person to ask, it’s polite to ask “¿Y tú?” after responding to the other person’s question. This literally means “And you?”^[8]