This is the 51st most frequent Spanish word.
así
"In this way" or "like this."
In this sentence, 'así' denotes the manner or way something is done, equivalent to 'this is how' or 'like this' in English.
Así se hace un pastel.
This is how a cake is made.
Here, 'así' is being used to refer to a particular way or manner in which something was done, namely the way of speaking.
¿Por qué hablaste así?
Why did you speak like that?
In this context, 'así' emphasizes the condition or state of living, translated as 'like this' referring to the mentioned circumstances.