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Lesson 4 of 238

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What's up in Spanish

Justin reaches Café Laurel again, and Amanda is right at the door. Nobody sits down. A quick how's-it-going in a doorway is its own little chat.

You'll learn how to ask what's up and how's it going, and how to answer with so-so or nothing new.

You'll use these with neighbors, with the person who makes your coffee, and with anyone you pass on the block.

Justin's honest so-so is the best part. He doesn't pretend the day is perfect.

By the end of this lesson

Greet someone with what's up and how's it going, ask if everything's okay, and answer so-so or nothing new.

  • ¿Qué tal ___?How's it going?
  • ¿Qué onda?What's up?
  • ¿Cómo va todo?How's everything?
  • ¿Todo bien?All good?
  • Más o menosSo-so
  • Nada nuevo.Nothing new
  • ¿Qué cuentas?What's new with you?

Scene — at the café door

It's late morning at the Café Laurel door. Amanda holds it open, and Justin hasn't sat down or ordered yet.

Neither of them moves toward a table. For this chat, the doorway is the whole room.

At the Café Laurel door Amanda tries qué onda.

Learn — casual check-ins

Here are today's seven lines. Press Play, listen, then say each one out loud.

They sound alike at first, and that's normal. The practice will pull them apart.

  1. ¿Qué tal ___?: Amanda greets Justin at the café door with an open hand and a friendly, curious smile.

    ¿Qué tal ___?

    How's it going?

    When to use it: A friendly how's-it-going when you already know the person.

    Fill the blank with a name or nothing: ¿Qué tal, Justin? or just ¿Qué tal?

  2. ¿Qué onda?: Amanda greets Justin casually with a relaxed wave, a head tilt and a grin at the café door.

    ¿Qué onda?

    What's up?

    When to use it: Very casual what's up, common with friends in Mexico.

  3. ¿Cómo va todo?: Amanda opens both arms wide, asking about everything in Justin's life, and Justin thinks.

    ¿Cómo va todo?

    How's everything?

    When to use it: When you want a slightly broader check-in than qué tal.

  4. ¿Todo bien?: Amanda leans in a little with a caring, checking look and a small thumbs-up, and Justin nods.

    ¿Todo bien?

    All good?

    When to use it: A quick are-you-okay after hello.

  5. Más o menos: Justin rocks his flat hand from side to side and gives a so-so shrug with a wry smile.

    Más o menos

    So-so

    When to use it: When things are fine, not great, not bad.

  6. Nada nuevo: Justin shrugs with both palms up and empty, calm and relaxed, as Amanda smiles.

    Nada nuevo.

    Nothing new

    When to use it: When someone asks what's new and the answer is nothing.

  7. ¿Qué cuentas?: Amanda leans in with her chin on her hand and curious eyes, waiting to hear Justin's news.

    ¿Qué cuentas?

    What's new with you?

    When to use it: Casual what's new, like catching up on gossip or news.

Story — nothing new

Watch Amanda ask what's up, and watch Justin answer so-so instead of a bright hello.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Tap ▶ to play the scene, and turn on Show English if you get stuck.

  1. Justin and Amanda meet at the Café Laurel door, and neither of them sits down yet.
  2. Amanda¡Hola, Justin! ¿Qué onda?Hi, Justin! What's up?
  3. JustinBuenos días. ¿Qué tal?Good morning. How's it going?
  4. AmandaBien, ¿todo bien?Good, all good?
  5. JustinMás o menos. ¿Cómo va todo?So-so. How's everything?
  6. Amanda¿Qué cuentas?What's new with you?
  7. JustinNada nuevo.Nothing new.
  8. They finish the hello right there in the doorway, and then they head inside.

Practice — check in Mexican-style

Eleven quick exercises, each one a hello at the door. Pick an answer and press Check.

Keep trying until it's right, or use the skip button and come back. After the right answer, you'll see why.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    ¿Qué tal ___?Drop the English here
    ¿Qué onda?Drop the English here
    Más o menosDrop the English here
    Nada nuevo.Drop the English here
    ¿Qué cuentas?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What does it mean?

    ¿Todo bien?

  4. What do you say?

    Amanda asks what's new and you have nothing to report.

  5. Pick the reply

    Amanda says:

    ¿Qué onda?

    What's up?

    And you reply with:

  6. Fill the gap

    How's everything?

    ¿Cómo va ____?

  7. What do you say?

    Amanda waves and you want a friendly how's-it-going.

  8. Pick the reply

    Amanda says:

    ¿Qué cuentas?

    What's new with you?

    And you reply with:

  9. What does it mean?

    Buenos días.

  10. What do you say?

    You step up to Amanda at the door and just say hi before anything else.

  11. What does it mean?

    ¿Qué clima hace?

Say it — at the door

You play Justin at the door. Amanda speaks first, and you answer out loud.

Tap the microphone and your device checks you. Nothing is uploaded. Tap ▶ to hear the line, or the skip button to move on.

  1. Amanda¡Hola! ¿Qué onda?Hi! What's up?
  2. Justin (you)Answer with how's it going.

    ¿Qué tal ___?

    How's it going?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
¿Qué tal ___?How's it going?
¿Qué onda?What's up?
¿Cómo va todo?How's everything?
¿Todo bien?All good?
Más o menosSo-so
Nada nuevo.Nothing new
¿Qué cuentas?What's new with you?
Next: lesson 5My name and where I'm from

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Doorway check-ins from this lesson sit in Yak Cards next to your first hellos.

Text a friend in Spanish today with ¿Qué onda? or ¿Qué tal?

Open Yak Cards