BicaUnit 1 · Hello!A1Lesson 4 of 4: How are you?
Asking “How are you?” in European Portuguese
This is the last of 4 lessons in Unit 1, Hello! (Olá!), an A1 unit in which you greet people, say please and thank you, and introduce yourself. It teaches 8 words and phrases, including como estás (how are you), tudo bem (how's it going) and estou (I am), and uses them in 9 example sentences. By the end you can say things like Bom dia, como estás? (“Good morning, how are you?”). The unit’s grammar notes cover “Chamo-me: the pronoun comes after the verb” and “How it sounds in Portugal”.
Words in this lesson
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
como estás | how are youWith extra respect: Como está? |
tudo bem | how's it going |
estou | I am |
bem | well |
mal | badly |
mais ou menos | so-so |
o senhor | you (polite, to a man)Optional, to show extra respect. Most of the time tu is fine. |
a senhora | you (polite, to a woman)Optional, to show extra respect. Most of the time tu is fine. |
Example sentences
- Olá, tudo bem?Hi, how's it going?
- Tudo bem, obrigado.All good, thanks.
- Como estás?How are you?
- Eu estou bem, e tu?I'm fine, and you?
- Eu estou mais ou menos.I'm so-so.
- Bom dia, como estás?Good morning, how are you?Como está? is Como estás? with extra respect.
- Muito bem, obrigada. E o senhor?Very well, thank you. And you, sir?O senhor is a polite "you" when talking to a man.
- Eu estou mal.I'm not well.
- Boa tarde! E tu, como estás?Good afternoon! And how are you?
Grammar notes
The grammar notes for this lesson are on the page for Unit 1: Hello!: