Formal vs. Informal

When you speak to someone, you often take an informal or formal tone.  If you have never met someone, you speak to them politely, whereas when you talk to your friends or family you speak in a more casual tone. In Spanish, we depend on more than just our tone. There are certain pronouns that must be used to convey the formality of speaking to certain people. 


When to use the formal usted/ustedes:
  • With elders
  • With someone you have never met
  • With teachers/bosses

When to use the informal tú/vosotros:
  • With family and friends
  • With someone whom you are very familiar/talk to a lot



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