How to Say What's Up in Spanish | MostUsedWords.com
Updated for 2026, here’s a guide on how to say “What's up?” in Spanish, including cultural context and usage across different countries.
"What's up?" is an informal greeting used to inquire about someone's well-being or current activities. In Spanish, you can express this sentiment with phrases like "¿Qué tal?" (IPA: /keɪ tɑl/) or "¿Qué pasa?" (IPA: /keɪ ˈpɑsə/).
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Meaning of "What's Up?" in Spanish
In Spanish, both "¿Qué tal?" and "¿Qué pasa?" are used to ask how someone is doing. However, their usage varies by region:
- "¿Qué tal?" is more common in Spain and some Latin American countries like Colombia and Peru as a casual greeting.
- "¿Qué pasa?" is prevalent in Mexico, Argentina, and other parts of Latin America to inquire about recent events or express surprise.
Younger generations also use phrases like "¿Qué onda?" (IPA: /keɪ ˈon.da/) which translates to “What’s happening?” and is popular in Mexico. Additionally, "¿Cómo va?" (IPA: /ˈko.mo βa/) meaning “How's it going?”, is widely used in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
Alternative Phrases for Casual Greetings
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The Spanish Frequency Dictionary series covers the 10,000 most common Spanish words — ranked by how often native speakers actually use them, with IPA pronunciation, English translations, and bilingual example sentences at every level.
Browse all 4 volumes →In addition to the above phrases, here are some other ways to greet someone casually:
- ¿Cómo estás? (IPA: /ˈko.mo esˈtas/): This is a more formal way of asking how someone is doing.
- ¿Qué hubo? (IPA: /keɪ ˈu.bo/): Common in Mexico and other Latin American countries, it translates to "What happened?" but serves as a friendly greeting.
- ¿Qué tal todo? (IPA: /keɪ ˈtal ˈto.ðo/): This phrase means “How’s everything?” and is used to inquire about someone's overall well-being.
Each of these phrases has its own cultural context and usage, reflecting the rich diversity within Spanish-speaking regions.
Sample Sentences for Each Phrase
To help you understand how each phrase is used in conversation:
- "¿Qué tal?" - "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? ¿Cómo estás hoy?" (Hello! How are you today?)
- "¿Qué pasa?" - "¡Eh, qué pasa! ¿Todo bien?" (Hey, what's up? Everything okay?)
- "¿Cómo va?" - "¡Hola! ¿Cómo va la semana?" (Hi! How’s the week going?)
- "¿Qué onda?" - "¡Ey, qué onda! ¿Cómo estás?" (Hey, what’s happening? How are you?)
- "¿Qué hubo?" - "¡Hola! ¿Qué hubo por aquí?" (Hi! What happened around here?)
- "¿Cómo estás?" - "¡Buenos días! ¿Cómo estás hoy?" (Good morning! How are you today?)
- "¿Qué tal todo?" - "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal todo? ¿Todo bien?" (Hi! How’s everything? Everything okay?)
These sentences illustrate the natural way to use these phrases in everyday conversations.
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