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Spanish greetings
How to say hello and goodbye
Question words in Spanish
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How to ask questions in Spanish
Formal vs. Informal "You"
The two kinds of address and when to use each one
Spanish plurals
How to get more than one of something
Definite and indefinite articles
The difference between "the" and "a", and how to say these in Spanish
Negating statements
How to say you don't know what you're doing
Adjectives in Spanish
Where to put them and how to use them
Ser vs Estar: The two kinds of "to be"
How to know when to say yo soy vs. when to say yo estoy.
Weather vocabulary
The ultimate icebreaker
Feelings and moods
How to talk about how you're feeling using the verbs estar and sentirse
Spanish false cognates ("false friends")
9 Spanish words that seem similar to English, but are actually dangerously different
Telling the time
How to ask and give the time in Spanish
¿Dónde está? or ¿Dónde hay?
How to know whether to use estar or haber when talking about something's existence
Comparisons of inequality
Bigger, smaller, faster, slower: How to compare two things and use superlatives in Spanish
Directions in Spanish
How to ask directions, and a few common prepositions that will help you get there
Being sore or sick
How to talk about illnesses and afflictions in Spanish

Formal vs. Informal "You"

WHEN TO "TÚ" AND WHEN TO "USTED"

In Spanish there are two ways of saying "you": There's the informal form, tú and the more formal usted (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 between tú and usted in these examples. 

Do you know where the house is?
Play
¿Sabes tú dónde está la casa? (informal)
Play
¿Sabe usted dónde está la casa? (formal)
You don't have to pay
Play
Tú no tienes que pagar (informal)
Play
Usted no tiene que pagar (formal)
Have a nice day!
Play
¡Que tú tengas un buen día! (informal)
Play
¡Que usted tenga un buen día! (formal)

Note: We've included the words tú and usted 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!

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Free Spanish Lessons

Spanish greetings
Question words in Spanish
Formal vs. informal "you"
Spanish plurals
Definite and indefinite articles in Spanish
Negating statements
How to use adjectives in Spanish
Ser vs Estar: The two kinds of "to be"
Weather vocabulary!
Feelings and moods
Telling the time
¿Dónde está? or ¿Dónde hay?
Comparisons of inequality
Directions in Spanish
Being sore or sick

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