Greetings

How to say “How are you?” in 16 languages

Here is “How are you?” in all 16 languages Crossing covers, with each language's regional variants side by side. Every version shows the native script, a romanization where the script isn't Latin, and a pronunciation guide written for English speakers, with notes on formality and other forms.

EnglishHow are you?Also: “How are you doing?”

Spanish Español

Mexico

¿Cómo está?

KOH-moh ehs-TAH

Formal

Respectful form for someone you don't know well.
More ways to say this
- ¿Cómo estás?
  
  KOH-moh ehs-TAHS
  
  Informal
  
  For friends, family, and peers.
Spanish phrases for Mexico
Spain

¿Qué tal?

keh TAHL

The everyday way to ask in Spain, fine with almost anyone.
More ways to say this
- ¿Cómo está usted?
  
  KOH-moh ehs-TAH oos-TEHD
  
  Formal
  
  Respectful form for older people and formal settings.
- ¿Cómo estás?
  
  KOH-moh ehs-TAHS
  
  Informal
  
  For friends, family and people your own age.
Spanish phrases for Spain
Puerto Rico

¿Cómo está?

KOH-moh ehs-TAH

Formal
More ways to say this
- ¿Cómo estás?
  
  KOH-moh ehs-TAHS
  
  Informal
Spanish phrases for Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic

¿Cómo está?

KOH-moh ehs-TAH

Formal

The respectful form for staff, officials and people you don't know.
More ways to say this
- ¿Cómo estás?
  
  KOH-moh ehs-TAHS
  
  Informal
  
  For friends and people your own age.
Spanish phrases for the Dominican Republic

French Français

France

Comment allez-vous ?

koh-mahn tah-lay VOO

Formal
More ways to say this
- Ça va ?
  
  sah VAH
  
  Informal
  
  Casual; also the usual reply — "Ça va."
French travel phrases

German Deutsch

Germany

Wie geht es Ihnen?

vee GAYT ehs EE-nehn

Formal
More ways to say this
- Wie geht's?
  
  vee GAYTS
  
  Informal
German travel phrases

Italian Italiano

Italy

Come sta?

KOH-meh stah?

Formal
More ways to say this
- Come stai?
  
  KOH-meh sty?
  
  Informal
  
  For friends and family.
Italian travel phrases

Portuguese Português

Brazil

Tudo bem?

TOO-doo BENG

The usual reply is also "tudo bem".

Literally: “All well?”
Portuguese phrases for Brazil
Portugal

Como está?

KOH-moo ish-TAH
More ways to say this
- Tudo bem?
  
  TOO-doo bayng
  
  Informal
  
  Casual and very common; the usual reply is also "Tudo bem".
Portuguese phrases for Portugal

Greek Ελληνικά

Greece

Τι κάνετε;

Ti kánete?

tee KAH-neh-teh

Formal

A common reply is "Καλά, ευχαριστώ" (Kalá, efcharistó).
More ways to say this
- Τι κάνεις;
  
  Ti káneis?
  
  tee KAH-nees
  
  Informal
  
  For friends, family and children.
Greek travel phrases

Turkish Türkçe

Türkiye

Nasılsınız?

NAH-suhl-suh-nuhz

Formal
More ways to say this
- Nasılsın?
  
  NAH-suhl-suhn
  
  Informal
  
  For friends, family and children.
Turkish travel phrases

Russian Русский

Russia

Как у вас дела?

Kak u vas dela?

kahk oo vahs dee-LAH

Formal

Asked of people you know, and a real answer is expected; it is not a hello for staff or strangers.
More ways to say this
- Как дела?
  
  Kak dela?
  
  kahk dee-LAH
  
  Informal
  
  The casual version, for friends and people you know.
Russian travel phrases

Hindi हिन्दी

India

आपका क्या हाल है?

Āpkā kyā hāl hai?

AAP-kaa kyaa haal hai

Formal
More ways to say this
- आप कैसी हैं?
  
  Āp kaisī haiṅ?
  
  aap KAI-see hain
  
  Formal
  
  To a woman. To a man: "Āp kaise haiṅ?" (aap KAI-say hain).
- आप कैसे हैं?
  
  Āp kaise haiṅ?
  
  aap KAI-say hain
  
  Formal
  
  To a man. To a woman: "Āp kaisī haiṅ?" (aap KAI-see hain).
Hindi travel phrases

Bengali বাংলা

India

কেমন আছেন?

Kemon achhen?

KAY-mon AA-chhen

Formal
More ways to say this
- কেমন আছ?
  
  Kemon achho?
  
  KAY-mon AA-chho
  
  Informal
  
  For friends and younger people.
Bengali phrases for India
Bangladesh

কেমন আছেন?

Kemon achhen?

KAY-mon AA-chhen

Formal
Bengali phrases for Bangladesh

Gujarati ગુજરાતી

India

કેમ છો?

Kem chho?

kem chho

Formal

The iconic Gujarati greeting — polite with strangers and friends alike.
Gujarati travel phrases

Mandarin Chinese 中文

China

你好吗？

Nǐ hǎo ma?

nee how mah

Mostly for people you already know. For a first hello, "你好" (nǐ hǎo) is enough.
More ways to say this
- 最近怎么样？
  
  Zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
  
  dzway-jin dzun-muh-yahng
  
  Informal
  
  The natural way to ask someone you know how things are going.
Mandarin Chinese travel phrases

Japanese 日本語

Japan

お元気ですか

O-genki desu ka

oh-GEN-kee dess kah

Formal

Used after time apart, not as a daily hello.
Japanese travel phrases

Korean 한국어

South Korea

잘 지내세요?

Jal jinaeseyo?

jahl jee-neh-seh-yoh

Formal

Used with people you know; as a quick hello, "안녕하세요" (annyeonghaseyo) is enough. The usual reply is "네, 잘 지내요" (ne, jal jinaeyo).
More ways to say this
- 잘 지내?
  
  Jal jinae?
  
  jahl jee-neh
  
  Informal
  
  Only with close friends.
Korean travel phrases

Arabic العربية

Egypt

إزيك؟

Izzayyak?

ez-ZAY-yak

To a man. To a woman: "إزيّك؟" (izzayyik).
More ways to say this
- إزيّك؟
  
  Izzayyik?
  
  ez-ZAY-yik
  
  To a woman. To a man: "إزيك؟" (izzayyak).
Arabic phrases for Egypt

Hebrew עברית

Israel

מה נשמע?

Ma nishma?

mah neesh-MAH

Informal

Casual and very common, and the same whoever you ask.
More ways to say this
- מה שלומך?
  
  Ma shlomkha?
  
  mah shlohm-KHAH
  
  The polite form, to a man. To a woman, the same spelling is said "shlomekh" (shloh-MEHKH).
- מה שלומך?
  
  Ma shlomekh?
  
  mah shloh-MEHKH
  
  The polite form, to a woman. To a man, the same spelling is said "shlomkha" (shlohm-KHAH).
Hebrew travel phrases

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