Culture —– This One’s Four You (The Four Spanish You’s)
There are four ways to say “you” in Spanish – “tú”, “usted”, “ustedes”, and “vosotros”. If you were to use the wrong “you” at the wrong time, you could end up offending someone. Luckily, most Latin people will recognize that you are a “gringo” and give you the benefit of the doubt, but it’s still important to know how and when to use each form of “you”. Knowing this as you learn Spanish will help you seem more educated and possibly avoid causing offense. Some of you might have already learned about this concept in school; hopefully this will help to clarify things a little more. Here are a few basic tips for usage:
“Usted” – Is usually abbreviated as “Ud.”. When in doubt about which “you” to use, “usted” is the safest and will get you in the least amount of trouble. “Usted” is the formal “you” and shows respect for the person that you are talking to. When you first meet someone, if they seem to be around your age or older, you should use “usted” when talking to them. Also, if you use a title with someone, such as Dr. Martinez, or Mrs. Garcia, you should use “usted” with them. For example, the phrase “Mrs. Garcia, you are very friendly” would be “Señora Garcia, usted es muy amable.” After you’ve known someone your age for a while, you can slowly transition into using “tú” instead of “usted”. To know when to transition to “tu”, follow their lead; when they do it, you can do it. If you are doing business in Mexico and meet someone for the first time, you should always use “usted” even if they are younger than you or not. Otherwise, they might become offended (because of your lack of respect) and you could lose an important business deal.
“Tú” – Is the informal way to say “you”. You should use “tú” when talking to people who are notably younger than you. Also use “tú” if you are on a first-name basis with someone or if you are very good friends with them. An example of this is, “Juan, you are very smart.” – “Juan, tú eres muy inteligente.” Always remember, in any business relationship, when first meeting someone, you should always use “usted” instead of “tú” to show them the proper respect.
“Ustedes” – Is abbreviated as “Uds.”. Use this form of “you” when talking to multiple people, whether formal or informal. For example, “All of you (you plural) are late!” – “¡Ustedes llegaron tarde!”
“Vosotros” – This form of “you” is only used in Spain. It is like the plural form of “tú”. If you are with a few friends around your same age or younger, or if you are on a first-name basis with them, you would use this form of “you” (plural). An example of this would be “All of you (you plural) are tall!” – “Vosotros sois altos.” Remember, since this form of “you” is only used in Spain, if you learn Latin American style Spanish, you don’t have to worry about “vosotros”. Also, if you learn Latin American style Spanish (without “vosotros”) then go to Spain, they will still be able to understand you and you will still be able to communicate without any problems.
Moral of the Story: To sound more educated when you speak Spanish and to avoid possibly offending people, it is important to learn when to use which form of “you”. I recommend reading about the different forms of “you” (above) until you are very familiar with them.
Sneak peek at next week: A Fun Potpourri of Culture Tidbits
¡Hasta la próxima semana! (Until Next Week!)
David S. Clark — President / Director
muchas gracias Senior por las palabras ( tips) que comprendo y quando voy usar las palabras Tu, Usted,vosotos, ustedes.