How to say hello and goodbye
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How to ask questions in Spanish
The two kinds of address and when to use each one
How to get more than one of something
The difference between "the" and "a", and how to say these in Spanish
How to say youdon'tknow what you're doing
Where to put them and how to use them
How to know when to sayyo soyvs. when to sayyo estoy.
The ultimate icebreaker
How to talk about how you're feeling using the verbsestarandsentirse
9 Spanish words that seem similar to English, but are actually dangerously different
How to ask and give the time in Spanish
How to know whether to useestarorhaberwhen talking about something's existence
Bigger, smaller, faster, slower: How to compare two things and use superlatives in Spanish
How to ask directions, and a few common prepositions that will help you get there
How to talk about illnesses and afflictions in Spanish
WHEN TO "TÚ" AND WHEN TO "USTED"
In Spanish there are two ways of saying "you": There's the informal form,túand the more formalusted(often abbreviated as Ud.)
Whether you use tú or usted depends on a variety of different factors, but it can be a bit intimidating for English speakers used to addressing everybody as "you". Remember the basic difference is how intimate you are with the person.
Here are a few basic rules to help you avoid causing offence or embarrassment:
Use "usted" when...
- The other person is older than you
- The other person is in a position of authority (teacher, professor, boss, government official)
Use "tú" when...
- Talking to family members or friends
- Talking to someone the same age as you (who is not in a position of authority relative to you.)
- When someone asks you to! (They might say"Puedes tutearme"— which means they give you permission to use tú. It usually happens because your relationship has gotten closer, or because the other person simply wants you to feel at ease.)
What difference does it make when speaking Spanish?
The form of "you" that you use will change your verb endings. When you're learning your conjugations you'll learn both the formal and informal forms.
See the differences betweentúandustedin these examples.
Do you know where the house is?
Have a nice day!
Note: We've included the words túandusted in the examples above, but it's very common for Spanish speakers to just leave them out. So make sure you pay attention to those verb endings!
