Qué tal:
* More informal and casual: It's commonly used among friends, family, and people you know well.
* Can be used in various contexts: You can use it to ask about someone's general well-being, a specific situation, or even their opinion on something.
* More versatile: It's not just a question but also a greeting, similar to "How's it going?" in English.
Cómo estás:
* More formal and polite: It's appropriate for situations with people you don't know well or in more formal settings.
* Specifically asks about someone's well-being: It's focused on their health and mood.
* More direct: It's a more direct way to ask "how are you?"
Here's a simple analogy:
* Think of Qué tal as "What's up?"
* Think of Cómo estás as "How are you doing?"
Examples:
* Qué tal:
* "Qué tal el trabajo?" (How's work going?)
* "Qué tal tu familia?" (How's your family?)
* "Qué tal la película?" (How was the movie?)
* Cómo estás:
* "Cómo estás?" (How are you?)
* "Cómo estás hoy?" (How are you today?)
In summary:
* Qué tal is more versatile, informal, and suitable for various situations.
* Cómo estás is more formal, polite, and specifically asks about someone's well-being.
Choose the appropriate phrase based on the context and your relationship with the person you're talking to.