¿Como estás? y ¿Como eres? Translation no help

Question

the translator here says for these:

"como estás" is ... how are you, how are you, as these ... it's How are you? everyone knows that but

"como eres" is ... as you are, as you, as you are (makes no sense in english) ... eres (past tense) How were you? (probably wrong) o algo muy diferente (or something very different).

No sé.

I forgot the ¿? and Cómo but put in ¿Cómo eres? and all three translators still say "How are you?" ... Wrong! - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

OV7 has some nice videos on youtube too about ¿Cómo eres?! I like the anime versions. type "como eres OV7". Pretty good band and they sing slow enough so even I can try to understand some of the lyrics. - MiamiDave, Dec 1, 2011

Answer 1

I had trouble with this also.There is a great little video on Youtube .It is called ¿ Como eres? It is basic but helpful .It is a cheesy little cartoon, you will know it when you see it. Buena suerte.

Greeeaaattt! Real Funny Everyone should watch this on youtube.com just type "como eres" its the first selection Thanks!!!!!! - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

Answer 2

Como eres would translate roughly to What are you like? (are you short, tall, smart, funny, etc)

this is my understanding also - patch, Nov 28, 2011

Yes, this is correct :) - FELIZ77, Nov 28, 2011

Sí, Gracias - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

Answer 3

Hi, MiamiDave.

I think you were getting "como", which means as or like, mixed up with "cómo", which means how and sometimes what. So, literally "Cómo está?" and "Cómo eres?" are both "How are you?".

The difference, as Emily stated, is when paired with "eres" (or another form of the verb ser), it means "How/What are you like?"; that is, your appearance, personality traits, etc. With the verb estar, it's asking about one's condition (tired, dirty, sick, etc), mood (happy, sad, etc) and so on.

Ex.

Cómo estás? | Muy bien, gracias. = How are you? | Very well, thanks.

Cómo eres? | Soy alto y delgado. = What are you like? | I'm tall and skinny.

Hope this helps clarify things for you.

Try ¿Cómo eres? in all three translators ... the same thing "How are you?" All three still got it wrong - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

I do not agree with what you said Goldie about both being literally how are You but what you have written below is very good and accurate :) - FELIZ77, Nov 28, 2011

MiamiDave, translators aren't perfect. They translate word-for-word sometimes and pay no attention to context. "Cómo" can mean "what" or "how"; "eres" alone means "you are" or ("are you" in a question). Hence "how are you?"... But that's just wrong. - Goldie_Miel, Nov 29, 2011

@ Feliz: Thanks. If you look at my previous comment, you'll see why I said it's a 'literal' :) and when it comes to languages, we can't take everything literally :0) - Goldie_Miel, Nov 29, 2011

Answer 4

¡Hola!, MiamiDave:

You always have to remember that the 3 translators will always rely on getting proper/correct input. You entered a statement, like this. "Como eres." I suggest what you really wanted to enter was the question "¿Cómo eres?". If you had entered the question correctly, you would have found 3 identical translations with each one reurning the English words "How aree you?". And keep in mind that Emily8 is correct. She has reminded you that the use of "ser (eres)" is to ask about personal qualities and not how you are in the moment.

I was surprised to get 3 identical translations. Most everybody here distrusts the translators. They may be a guide but should not be taken at face value as the rule.

Muchos saludos/Best regards,
Moe

Si 3 "How are you?" when using ¿? for ¿Como eres? but I don't think that's what it means - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

Almost everybody/Nearly everybody would sound much better than most everybody, Moe :) - FELIZ77, Nov 28, 2011

Almost and Nearly would be different but would not be any better. - Moe, Nov 28, 2011

Answer 5

Pienso Emily got it right too Gracias

Those translators can't get "¿Cómo eres?" right. It's a wonder they got "¿Cómo estás?" right.

Yeah! I don't trust them. When it comes to verbs and grammar you are on your own. Most often they are wrong. I use them for nouns. They are pretty good at that. A starting point in the translation de todos modos (anyway). Idioms and poetry forget it.

Buena suerte con los traductores.

Dave

even with the ¿? and Cómo a lo mejor en cinco años they will be good - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

all three still got it wrong - MiamiDave, Nov 28, 2011

Answer 6

Como eres...What are you like. Describe yourself. Are you tall, fat, thin....wear glasses or not

Answer 7

¡Hola!, Dave:

Your comments in response to my first reply have confused me. Let me set out what I understood when I first answered:

Item 1 - You wrote - ""como estás" is ... how are you

Without the use of opening and closing question marks, this is a statement not a question. However, I didn't think that was the point of your question and I didn't deal with it.

Item 2 - You wrote - "como eres" is ... 3 different translations (makes no sense in english)

I thought this was the thrust of your question and I addressed my first reply to the problems I thought were found in "como eres". I hope if you re-read my answer, you will see how it is directed only at this statement. What I was saying, in addition to what I wrote, is that there cannot be a question asked without the use of opening and closing question marks. Also, "como" without a tilde (accent) over the first 'o' is not an interrogative or question word. To be used in the interrogative sense it must be written as "cómo" with a tilde over the first "ó".

Item 3 - You wrote - eres (past tense) How were you? (probably wrong) o algo muy diferente (or something very different).

Looking back at my answer and thinking about what I wrote, I can see that I did not say anything about this part of you original question entry. I was so focused on Item 2, that I didn't even see Item 3. But, now that it has my attention I would pooint out that "eres" is not the past tense of the verb 'ser'. The past imperfect is 'eras' and the past perfect is 'fuiste'. Notice that in Item 1 you used the familiar 'tú' conjugation and I thought you would want to stay with that in Item 2 and now in Item 3.

I make these comments thinking that I may only have served to confuse you in my first reply and the hope I have not just made it worse in this reply. Is there any way you can re-write your question in this thread so that others may still see it and give you a clearer answer than I seem to have done? I'm sorry I was not more help.

Muchos saludos/Best regards,

Moe

Answer 8

¡Hola!

¿Cómo eres? it means what are you like? I can give you a link with very funny Spanish rap which is cold "Cómo eres?" It is easy to get the idea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxWugQUw2us

you use the verb "ser" in informal form in this case. In formal way it's: ¿Cómo es Usted?

¿Cómo estás? means How are you? in informal. In formal it's ¿Cómo está (Usted)?

Saludos