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DiuGa
23 mar 2019

  • Chino simplificado
  • Inglés (US)
  • Japonés
  • Español (México)
Pregunta de Español (México)

When do you use "tú" and when do you use "usted"？

I know that "tú" is the plain form of "you" and "usted" is the polite form, but I want to know that what kind of people will match the two pronouns. Will I use "usted" for my teachers, shop assistants, neighbors or unfamiliar schoolmates? If I keep using "usted" for all the people that I'm not familiar with, will it sounds funny? Please provides some real life examples, gracias!
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camicc
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)
  • Español (Chile)
  • Español (España)

Just like you said, if you say 'usted' to everyone, it sounds funny.
In my opinon, 'tu' is used with friends, family, collages, schoolmates, shop assistans, etc. Is more used than usted.
I would say usted to, old people, my boss or someone with authority

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Yeshua_LR
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)

"Tú" (Your friends, cousins, brother, or young people).

"Usted" (Important people like teachers, lawyers, etc. Unknown people, or anyone older than you.

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DiuGa
23 mar 2019

  • Chino simplificado
@camicc Thank you!
RoK-Ol
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)

“Usted” you can use it for older people than you, unfamiliar people, teachers, and boss and in some places you use as well “Usted” in a respect way to refer to your grandparents and even parents. And “tu” you can use it with friends, family, people of your age or younger, etc.

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DiuGa
23 mar 2019

  • Chino simplificado
@Ro_K-Ol Thank you!
sujaylee04
23 mar 2019

  • Inglés (US)
  • Español (México)

I don't like to think too much about it ^^ all I know is that I say "usted" to my elders. Family or not, if they are older than me, I use "usted"

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DiuGa
23 mar 2019

  • Chino simplificado
@Yeshua_LR Thank you!
Yeshua_LR
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)

@DiuGa You're welcome

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DiuGa
23 mar 2019

  • Chino simplificado
@Jamileth_Ruiz Thank you!
Aaron_E
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)
  • Inglés (US) Casi fluido

I use usted with older people that I know, people with authority AND with all people I don't know, for example a store clerk (even if that person looks the same age as me)
Speaking with Tú is just for people you have confidence with, and is also normal to ask someone if you can talk to them with Tú: "Puedo hablarte de tú?" or "Puedo tutearte", this last one is like an expression that means the same.

Josek
23 mar 2019

  • Español (México)

We normally use "usted" with people who are much older than us, especially with strangers. We also use it to address the elderly and authorities. For schoolmates, however, we almost always use "tú". It would actually be awkward to use "usted" unless the age gap is considerably big (like 20 years or more).

In the past, many people addressed their parents and grandparents using "usted", but that's not nearly as common today.

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When do you use "tú" and when do you use "usted"？
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