What does "¿Cómo está usted?" mean?

Question

I wanted to know what it meant.

Answer 1

Before you throw it into the translator, you'd better spell it correctly:

¿Cómo está usted?

• jejejeje - Koalasan Sep 9, 2009

Answer 2

I believe it means "how are you". Como means how and usted means you. BUT usted means you and is the formal way of saying "you". Tú is is the informal way of saying "you". The verb estar means "to be". There are different forms of this verb. For example "como estas?", is asking ONE person how they are. The person could respond, " Yo estoy bien or yo estoy feliz, or yo estoy cansado." I am good, I am happy, I am tired. to ask how more than one person is doing, like a class, they would say,"como estan?" How are all of you. By saying," como esta usted?" They were asking it formally..formally could mean they didn't know you, or they were asking a more older respected person. once you respond "estoy bien" or however your feeling you could say ¿y tú?, which means "and you"..and they would respond back with how they are feeling or how they are doing. "estoy terible" (I am horrible.) I hope this helps sorry for not putting the thingys over everything it takes to much time.

• Oye! She was supposed to Translate it!!! - Koalasan Sep 9, 2009
• har har! :) - cheeseisyumm Sep 9, 2009
• why was this "flagged"? Its correct..everthing I said is correct. - Melanie_Rose Sep 9, 2009
• It's only correct now because you edited your post. - --Mariana-- Sep 9, 2009
• Melanie, when you click the edit/history button on your post you can clearly see the changes you have made. The flagging was carried out before you changed yoiur post. I have now removed the flag. - Eddy Sep 10, 2009

Answer 3

Ahhhh... I see.... Is this what you need?

http://www.spanishdict.com/translation

Looks AWESOME!

• If it was need..it would have the verb neccistar which is to need. - Melanie_Rose Sep 9, 2009
• She is not providing a translation. She is linking to the translator. - webdunce Oct 4, 2009

Answer 4

Hi Melanie

It means "how are you" singular formal. How are you plural formal would be "cómo están ustedes".

• I know that's what i said..look, up above your comment. - Melanie_Rose Sep 9, 2009
• It's only been corrected after your edit to the post. Prior to that it was incorrect, as Eddy says. - --Mariana-- Sep 9, 2009
• But the correct post was still "flagged" - Melanie_Rose Sep 9, 2009

Answer 5

Es "How are you"?

Answer 6

Melanierose ¿cómo estan? does not mean how are you all it means how are they? to ask how are you all you would say: ¿Cómo estáis?

• Están is "they are" or "you all are" (formal you plural, i.e., Ustedes) - webdunce Oct 4, 2009
• Agreed but this is not used in Spain they use vosotros form however perhaps I should conceed as speaking spanish is not just about speaking it in Spain. - kenwilliams Oct 4, 2009