Q: What does ‘bah’ mean in Spanish?

Bah in Spanish is an interjection used to express indifference or contempt, equivalent to the English ‘bah’ or other terms such as ‘meh’ or ‘oh well’. For example: Bah, me importa poco lo que diga la gente . (Bah, I don’t care much about what people say.)

Q: What is the difference between ¿Cómo estás? and ¿Qué tal ?

Although both are synonymous with 'How are you?', ¿Cómo estás? is an all-around phrase that can be formal and informal, based on the context. When in doubt it’s best to use the ¿Cómo estás? option over the more casual approach of ¿Qué tal ?. ¿Qué tal ? normally comes across as more casual, akin phrases like “How’s it going?’ or ‘How’re things?’.

Q: How to respond to ¿Cómo estás? in Spanish?

When asked ¿Cómo estás? or ¿Qué tal? , here are some frequently used responses you can resort to: Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Very well, thank you. And you?) Todo bien, gracias . (All good, thanks.) Or more casual replies like: Bien. ¿Y tú? (Good. And you?) Estoy bien, gracias . (I am well, thank you.) If you’re not feeling as upbeat or non-committal, here are some less chirpy reply options: Mal (Bad or ‘Not well’) Nada bien (Not good at all) Asi así (So-so) Más o menos (literally translates to ‘more or less’ and is akin to saying ‘so-so’) Tirando (Getting by) Regular (Ok, but barely) Bah (Bah, also similar to Meh) Ahí voy (Hanging in there) A tip: You come across as more polite if your response is followed up by a question inquiring on how the other person is doing as well, by simply asking ¿Y tú? (“And you?”).

Question 1

How to say ‘How are you in Spanish?’ in an informal way?

Accepted Answer

In Spain, the most common way of asking someone “How are you?” in Spanish is:

¿Cómo estás?

This is an all-around phrase that can be informal or formal, depending on the context, and can be a mere formality when being introduced to someone or an actual sincere form of inquiring into someone’s wellbeing.

Other more casual and informal phrases that are frequently used as well include:

¿Qué tal? (How are you?/How’s it going?)

¿Qué tal todo? (How is everything?)

¿Cómo vas? (How are you doing?)

¿Cómo va la cosa? (How are things?)

¿Cómo te va? (How are things going for you?)

¿Qué hay? (What’s up?)

¿Qué hay de nuevo? (What’s new?)

¿Qué pasa? (What’s happening?)

¿Todo bien? (All good?)

Question 2

How to say ‘How are you in Spanish?’ in a formal way?

Accepted Answer

When in a formal context, one of the most frequently used phrases in Spanish when asking someone ‘How are you?’ is:

¿Cómo está Usted? or simply ¿Cómo está?

What defines a formal context? Usually, when interacting with older people, strangers (someone we are not familiar with), and people in “authority” (clients, bosses, teachers, etc.).

Question 3

What does ‘bah’ mean in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Bah in Spanish is an interjection used to express indifference or contempt, equivalent to the English ‘bah’ or other terms such as ‘meh’ or ‘oh well’. For example:

Bah, me importa poco lo que diga la gente. (Bah, I don’t care much about what people say.)

Question 4

What is the difference between ¿Cómo estás? and ¿Qué tal?

Accepted Answer

Although both are synonymous with 'How are you?', ¿Cómo estás? is an all-around phrase that can be formal and informal, based on the context. When in doubt it’s best to use the ¿Cómo estás? option over the more casual approach of ¿Qué tal?.

¿Qué tal? normally comes across as more casual, akin phrases like “How’s it going?’ or ‘How’re things?’.

Question 5

How to respond to ¿Cómo estás? in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

When asked ¿Cómo estás? or ¿Qué tal?, here are some frequently used responses you can resort to:

Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Very well, thank you. And you?)

Todo bien, gracias. (All good, thanks.)

Or more casual replies like:

Bien. ¿Y tú? (Good. And you?)

Estoy bien, gracias. (I am well, thank you.)

If you’re not feeling as upbeat or non-committal, here are some less chirpy reply options:

Mal (Bad or ‘Not well’)

Nada bien (Not good at all)

Asi así (So-so)

Más o menos (literally translates to ‘more or less’ and is akin to saying ‘so-so’)

Tirando (Getting by)

Regular (Ok, but barely)

Bah (Bah, also similar to Meh)

Ahí voy (Hanging in there)

A tip: You come across as more polite if your response is followed up by a question inquiring on how the other person is doing as well, by simply asking ¿Y tú? (“And you?”).

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