01 · THE BIG PICTURE
In English, you can mean one person or a group. Spanish has different forms.
You are speaking to one person.
You are speaking to a group.
02 · SPAIN & MANY PARTS OF LATIN AMERICA
In Spain and many parts of Latin America, people use tú and usted when speaking to one person.
With friends, classmates and people you know well.
Informal does not mean rude.
To show respect or keep some distance.
For example, in a formal first meeting.
| tú | usted |
|---|---|
| Tú eres estudiante. | Usted es estudiante. |
| Tú tienes veinte años. | Usted tiene veinte años. |
These are common patterns. Local habits and your relationship also matter. A teacher or an older person may use tú with you.
03 · ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY & URUGUAY
It means one person’s “you” and is common with friends and people you know well.
It is a normal local form of Spanish.
People also use usted, for example in formal conversations.
In Uruguay, tú is also used. Local patterns vary.
| Verb | tú | vos |
|---|---|---|
| ser | tú eres | vos sos |
| tener | tú tienes | vos tenés |
Learn to recognise these common forms first. Vos is also used in other parts of Latin America.
04 · YOUR LEARNING GOALS
For speaking to one person, focus on tú and usted in this beginner course.
Learn when to use them and learn their verb forms.
If you see or hear vos, recognise it as “you” for one person.
Remember that it is common in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
It is also used in other parts of Latin America.
This is our learning priority for now. Vos is a normal and widely used regional form of Spanish.
05 · MOST OF SPAIN · INFORMAL GROUPS
In most of Spain, use these forms when speaking to a group of friends.
A group of men or boys,
or a mixed group.
Two male classmates
A group of women or girls only.
Two female classmates
A male friend + a female friend
vosotros06 · A GROUP · REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
Ustedes means “you” when speaking to two or more people.
Use ustedes in a formal conversation with a group.
Use ustedes in both formal and informal situations.
Madrid
Common local usage
Mexico City or Buenos Aires
ustedesRegional note: informal ustedes is also common in the Canary Islands and parts of western Andalusia.
07 · PUT IT TOGETHER
A simple overview of common patterns. Local usage can vary.
| Situation | Spain | Most of Latin America | Argentina / Paraguay / Uruguay |
|---|---|---|---|
| One friend | tú | tú | vos |
| One person, formal | usted | usted | usted |
| A group of friends | vosotros / vosotras | ustedes | ustedes |
| A group, formal | ustedes | ustedes | ustedes |
08 · YOUR TURN
Use the common local patterns from this lesson. Say the pronoun, then click the card to reveal the answer.
Choose from: tú · vos · usted · vosotros · vosotras · ustedes
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