How to Say ‘How are you? (formal)’ in Spain Spanish
¿Cómo está usted?
KOH-moh es-TAH oos-TEHD
[KOH-moh es-TAH oos-TEHD]
💬 Usage Tip: Usted takes the same verb form as "he/she": está, not estás. That's why it's often left out: ¿cómo está?.
🇪🇸 In Spain: Spain uses tú far more freely than Latin America. Save usted for elderly people, officials, or very formal settings.
Phrase Breakdown
Cómo
[KOH-moh]
how
Used to ask about someone's condition or well-being.
Siempre pregunto '¿cómo te sientes?' o '¿cómo estás?'
I always ask 'how do you feel?' or 'how are you?'
está
[es-TAH]
are (formal you)
Form of 'estar' used with 'usted' to ask about someone's state politely.
¿Está usted cansado?
Are you tired?
usted
[oos-TEHD]
You (formal)
A formal way to address someone, typically used in formal contexts or when speaking to someone with whom you don't have a close relationship.
¿Usted estará tomando ese taxi?
Will you be taking that taxi?
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