How to Ask About Well-Being

Learn how to ask about well-being

Dialogue

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Vocabulary

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Spanish by SpanishPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask about well-being in Spanish.

For example, "How are you?" is

¿Cómo estás?

Valeria Valera is in the office breakroom.

She greets Jorge Soto Aguilar , a colleague, and asks about his well-being.

Before you listen to the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

bien

"fine"

bien

Listen to the conversation and focus on the question.

Ready?

¿Cómo estás?

Bien, gracias.

Once more with the English translation.

¿Cómo estás?

"How are you?"

Bien, gracias.

"Fine, thank you."

Let's break down the conversation.

First, do you remember how Valeria asks,

"How are you?"

¿Cómo estás?

First is cómo, "how." Cómo. Cómo.

Next is estás, " are." Estás. Estás.

Note, estás is a shortened form of tú estás, “you are.” In Spanish, tú, “you,” is usually omitted, as it’s understood from context.

Estás is from the verb, estar, meaning "to be." Estár.

All together, it's ¿Cómo estás? "How are ?" ¿Cómo estás?

Note the rising intonation to mark that it’s a question.

¿Cómo estás?

Let's take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Jorge says,

"Fine, thank you."

Jorge Soto Aguilar : Bien, gracias.

"Fine, thank you." Bien, gracias.

First is bien, "fine." Bien. Bien.

Here, bien is the shortened form of Yo estoy bien. “I’m fine.” Yo estoy bien.

Yo estoy is omitted, as it is understood from context.

Estoy is from the verb, estar, meaning "to be." Estár.

Next is, gracias, meaning "thank you." Gracias. Gracias.

All together, it’s Bien, gracias. "Fine, thank you."

Bien, gracias.

The question ¿Cómo estás? can be used in informal situations.

However, for formal situations, use the following pattern.

¿Cómo está usted? "How are you?" ¿Cómo está usted?

Simply replace estás, the informal version of "you are," with está usted, the formal version of "you are."

First is the word, está, literally "is," but translates as "are," as in "you are" for formal situations. Está. Está.

Está is from the verb, estar, meaning "to be" in Spanish. Estár.

Next is the word usted, the formal word for "you." Usted. Usted.

All together, it’s ¿Cómo está usted? "How are you?" ¿Cómo está usted?

Note that when asking about one’s well being in formal situations, the word for "you," usted, is included.

Imagine you’re Sonia Hernández , Hugo's Spanish teacher. Ask about Hugo’s well-being using formal Spanish.

Ready?

¿Cómo está usted?

"How are you?"

¿Cómo está usted?

For the response, both of the following are okay:

Bien, gracias.

Estoy bien, gracias.

In Spanish, there are two verbs that translate as “to be:” ser and estár. When talking about well being, use estar.

So when responding to ¿Cómo estás? “How are you?”

Always use the verb estar, as in estoy bien. “I’m fine.”

Let's look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

¿Cómo estás?

Bien, gracias.

¿Cómo estás?

"How are you?"

Bien, gracias.

"Fine, thank you."

¿Cómo estás?

Muy bien.

¿Cómo estás?

"How are you?"

Muy bien.

"Very good."

¿Cómo está usted?

Bien, gracias.

¿Cómo está usted?

"How are you?"

Bien, gracias.

"Fine, thank you."

¿Cómo estás?

Más o menos.

¿Cómo estás?

"How are you?"

Más o menos.

"So-so."

¿Cómo estás?

Bien, ¿y tú?

¿Cómo estás?

"How are you?"

Bien, ¿y tú?

"Fine. And you?"

Did you notice how the native speaker added the phrase ¿y tú?

Bien, ¿y tú?

“Fine, and you?”

First is bien, “fine.” Bien.

Again, bien is the shortened form of Yo estoy bien. “I’m fine.”

Next is ¿y tú? “And you?” ¿Y tú?

First is y. "And." Y. Y.

Next is tú, an informal word meaning "you." Tú. Tú.

Together, it’s ¿y tú? meaning "and you?" ¿Y tú?

You can use this phrase to reciprocate the question when someone asks you about your well being.

For example, if someone says,

¿Cómo estás?

You can respond with,

Bien, ¿y tú?

First, respond to the question. Then inquire about the other person’s well being with ¿y tú? “And you?”

Note, as tú, “you,” is informal, this expression is appropriate for informal situations.

Remember this pattern, Bien, ¿y tú? You’ll see it again later.

Let's review the key vocabulary.

Muy bien.

"Very good."

Muy bien.

Más o menos.

"So-so."

Más o menos.

Let’s review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember the word for "how?"

Cómo.

Do you remember how Valeria Varela asks,

"How are you?"

¿Cómo estás?

Do you remember how to say "fine?"

Bien.

And how to say

"Thank you."

Gracias.

Do you remember how Jorge Soto says,

"Fine, thank you."

Bien, gracias.

Do you remember how to say, "And you?"

¿y tú?

And how to say

"Very good."

Muy bien.

Let's practice.

Imagine you’re Jorge , Hugo’s colleague. Ask how Hugo is doing using informal Spanish.

Ready?

¿Cómo estás?

Muy bien.

Listen again and repeat.

¿Cómo estás?

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're the Hurtado family's Spanish teacher, Sonia Hernandez. Ask about Hugo’s well-being using formal Spanish.

Ready?

¿Cómo está usted?

Bien, gracias.

Listen again and repeat.

¿Cómo está usted?

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Lucas , and you meet your friend at school.

Respond by saying, “Fine. And you?”

Ready?

¿Cómo estás?

Bien, ¿y tú?

Listen again and repeat.

¿Cómo estás?

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Ask About Well-Being unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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