How to ask "How good is ____?"

Question

I just realized that despite all of my reading and practice, I still can't quite ask how good something is. And try as I might, I can't seem to find a clear answer anywhere. So how does one ask how good something is in Spanish?

How good does the salad taste? How good is the Spanish translation of Harry Potter? How effective is the new medicine?

I tried looking it up in the dictionary, and I'm surprised how many different ways there are to say "How _____ is _____?"

I'll appreciate any help, thanks!

Answer 1

I would say:

"¿Cómo de buena es la traducción?"

"¿Qué tal es la traducción?" / "¿Qué tal (está) la ensalada?"

"¿Es buena la traducción?" / "¿Está buena la ensalada?"

"¿Es una buena traducción?" / "¿Es un buen libro?"

Gracias, Cordobesa. Simple! - annierats, Jul 31, 2012

Thanks, Cordo! These seem to flow a lot better! :) - Noetol, Jul 31, 2012

¡Gracias por tantos buenos ejemplos! - arocoun, Jul 31, 2012

De nada :)) - Cordobesa, Jul 31, 2012

Answer 2

¿Cuán buena es la traducción?

Cuán is related to cuánto just like the relation between tan and tanto. Cuán is for quality and cuánto is for quantity.

I'd never even heard Cuán before. Thanks! - arocoun, Jul 31, 2012

you're welcome! - unMica, Jul 31, 2012

Answer 3

¿Que tan bueno es este libro?

Answer 4

¿Qué tan bueno (male staff) es? ¿Qué tan buena (female staff) es?

¿Qué tan bueno es el nuevo profesor de inglés? How good is the new english teacher? ¿Qué tan buena está la película? How good is the movie?

Answer 5

I think the phrase "How good..." is an English idiom that does not translate directly to Spanish. You could say "¿Cómo bueno es este libro?", but I don't believe that really works right.

Maybe "¿Cómo es este libro? ¿Es bueno?" might work out.

"Que tan..." or "Cuán..." works in this way, not "cómo." - BradyLabuda, Jul 30, 2012

You're right - no wonder it did't sound right. - Noetol, Jul 30, 2012