I don´t know in other countries but here is Spain, we mostly use the informal you "tú" for everyone in exception of teachers and the eldest people you don´t know (just for being respectful) Nowadays people mostly refer to their grandparents with "tú" not with "usted" and we use TÚ for almost everyone.

Usted versus tu (sorry I don't know how to put accent on this keyboard) is definitely something I feel I did not get everyone practice in in Spanish classes. I feel like most of the time, we just defaulted to using 'tu'. Now, I'm in an environment where I sometimes have to speak Spanish and I'm really wishing I got more of a hang of saying "usted" than thinking "tu" = "you" 100% of the time.

I am not a native Spanish speaker but I live in Colombia and I found it funny how people are switching from Usted to tú back and forth. For instance, in a shop or restaurant, you will definitely start addressing the clerk or waiter with Usted. But you may end up asking for the bill saying "me traes la cuenta por favor". In a family, parents will use Tu with their kids, but if they want to say something more seriously, be it complaining, arguying, or giving a piece of advice, they may switch to Usted. Some kids say Usted to their parents, some say Tú but even in the latter case, kids will switch to Usted when they want to ask for permission. In the street, you will definitely use Usted to answer to a beggar. Usted is mostly used to show respect, but it can also be used to add up a little bit of distance. It is a very subbtle thing and it took me quite a time to use it adequately. Plus in Colombia, at least in some regions, you can add up to the complexity throwing in the "Vos"form.

Wow thank you so much for this video I have been trying to learn Spanish and have been learning/using tú exclusively. So when I saw usted it really threw me for a loop.

My grandmother is from Colombia, but she address everybody and all ages with usted. She never says tu. Idk why.

I speak Spanish from Argentina and I find it very archaic and old-fashioned to address a parent with "Usted". It used to be common 50 or 100 years ago but nowadays it is not used, you just simply use "tú" or "vos". Hardly ever will you find a Spanish-Speaker (at least in the south) addressing a parent with Usted. For instance, in my country we do not use tú, instead we say "vos" as informal which replaces tú. Vos - Tú= You (singular informal) Usted= You (singular formal). Vosotros= You (plural informal *only in Spain*) Ustedes= You (plural informal-formal)

Thank you I needed this to complete my work for Spanish🙏🏾

Hola. Buen video. Soy de Argentina y uso el usted como lo dijeron ustedes en su vídeo. En vez de tú, uso vos. A menos que la persona tenga mi edad, cerca o menos, trato a todos de usted y en lugares públicos, al principio prefiero decir usted y luego veo si me paso al vos, a menos que sea joven y de entrada él/ella me diga vos. Si tuviera suegros obviamente les diría usted. Y a los familiares siempre les digo vos. Saludos.

I’m from Mexico but we normally use the tu form even with family members older. I find it hard to speak with my Ecuadorian side of the family because it’s different ways of talking.

Thank u for your things for saying tu and usted I appreciate you all to say those two things respectfully

The best youtube spanish. Congratulations!

wow i had no idea i have been using tú instead of usted in everything noooooo thank you so much for telling us :)

I am going to use this video with my students. Thank you.

Hola , Cuando pueda , porfavor may i request for a video about pure Formal Spanish only video for Office situations or Job application set up. muchas Gracias !!!

So I have a question…if I wanted to practice Spanish with a stranger, would the usted form be used in question? For example, would I say “Puedo practicar español con usted?” Or, would i say “Puedo practicar español contigo?” Is contigo informal?

If you think back about 40 years in the US, it was common for kids to ALWAYS address adults by Mr and Mrs. Also you would address your boss, landlord, or anyone you didn’t know by Mr or Mrs. (I actually like that better than todays informality - when telemarketers or other strangers call me by my first name my first thought is always “who are you to call me by my first name”) But anyway, if you remember those days, that’s a good way to think of how to use Usted vs Tú. A “Mr or Mrs” would be Usted, a first name basis would be tú

Súper útil! Me encantó el vídeo, me estaba costando mucho trabajo explicarle el tú y usted a mi novio! Le está echando muchas ganas a sus lecciones de español y su vídeo lo ayudó mucho a comprender! Muchas gracias!!

That was helpful. When do you use the word tienes and tiene?

The use of "usted" may vary from country to country, or even regions within a country. Please, if you're a non-native Spanish speaker, use "usted" to address ANYONE (unless they're children or teens) you meet for the first time. It makes you come across as polite, and well-mannered. I personally hate being addressed with "tú" by strangers. In my head, I'm like "I don't know you like that", but again, that's something cultural.

Muy buen video, muy informativo. Lo de “usted” es algo muy curioso, en el caso de mi familia mi hermano mayor y yo llamamos por “usted” a mi mama pero mi hermana menor la tutea y aveces me pongo a pensar y debe ser porque es la menor y es mujer y ademas es quien pasa mas tiempo con ella, al menos yo nunca me he sentido comodo en tutear a mi mama aunque ella nunca nos ha exigido que la llamemos de usted, aun asi tutearla me hace sentir como si le estuviera faltando el respeto. Me gusta mucho el contenido de su canal, ya me suscribi y espero que sigan creciendo mucho, saludos desde Carolina del Norte 👍

That was so good thanks a ton for posting this video

Increíble forma de explicar su uso me agrada como graban 😉

Thank you. It is similar to German. We also have two forms: Sie and du. And it is used in a similar way.

Okay, I understand this. But unfortunately, I don't know where to put the "usted" in the sentence always and was hoping this video would clear that up. Do you have any advice?

Do u have a ser estoy vid?

Thank you this really helped me👍🏽

Is it respectful to assume that someone is older? Might be insulting instead if they think they are younger than you.

you guys are such a cute couple

Hi does anyone know if I use the formal term when I am a visitor at a hotel talking to nice housekeepers, friendly taxi cab drivers, hotel staff ext...?

Great video & I'm a constant listener to your podcast (at 70% speed - I'm only 90 days in) - thanks so much for those! Now. On USTED - In a DuolLngo forum someone said "... ustedes is the only plural you in Latin America. It carries no formality." - and I can't reconcile that with your video here. Are they just wrong?

We use tú informally with same age, with siblings and with younger people while we use usted formally when need to show respect and with strangers or when in doubt. Is that correct? ¿Puede usted ayudarme?

Nueve comentarios????????? Wow. Anyway, I learned a lot from this so Gracias Editar: Diez comentarios ahora

Now i know what is informal & formal 😁👍

Me inscribí porque quiero aprender ingles.

I think in America "usted" is used a lot, but in Spain it's quite an uncommon and formal thing. I personally only use it for complete strangers or people I *really* need to give a good impression to. Otherwise, 90% of the times you say "usted" in Spain you're going to get "¡Tutéame, por dios!" as a response; it's an unnecessary formalism.

Now! I appreciate this video mucho!!! Muchas gracias!! :-))

Muchas gracias por este video. Estoy más familiar con la firma de "tu" porque esta es la forma uso con mi tutor y mis amigas de España y Perú pero en México noté que "usted" es común. ¿Cuál es el significado de la frase "pueden tutearnos"? ¿"Can you please us" es igual a "por favor usa la forma de tu"?

She’s so prettyyyyyyy

As an older person (age 67), can I assume that 'tu' is the way to go even with waiters and other general interactions with sales people, etc? I would defer to 'usted' if the individual is clearly older than I am, but in general...???

Es dificil aprender ingles? En ingles tienen las palabaras como two, to y 2.

Do you have a video on the subjunctive form of verbs ?

What about a medical professional addressing a patient? Does the same rules apply? I find myself using usted to almost everyone except small children.

Che sho soy de Argentina 🇦🇷 y sho hablo en Vos como en mi casteshano

Is it okay if I say usted with everyone ? 😂 I always use usted, even with siblings and close friends. I sort of got used to it

Tu for same social status? I think you guys are wrong in this.

es dificil asta para el hispanop hablante

Hola

I don't understand why... For say hablar... You all, plural familiar...vosotros/as hablais They, plural familiar...hablan Ustedes, you all formal...hablan Why not...ustedes, you all formal hablais

No, there are at least 4 you forms: Usted, tu, vos, & vuestra merced. & I am sure that the use varies a lot by the country you are in. If you are not a native of a country, best to stick to Usted in the singular to avoid offense. It seems to me that in telenovelas you are likely to hear vos when narcotrafficers are speaking.

En Argentina no se usa tú pero vos. ¿Es verdad?

lol y pensar que hablo todos los dias y lo doy por sentado como si nada

great video. My brother your hair and beard are not doing your face any favors.

Who else her for the zuñiga hw :)

with elders ok, but higher social status? wtf? you have a serf mentality. once a peon always a peon