Tú vs. Usted
Adapted from The Animated Book of Spanish, an interactive Spanish grammar book.
- Tú: informal¿Cómo estás?
How are you?
Usted: formal¿Cómo está usted?How are you?
- Tú: informal¿Tienes un momento?
Do you have a minute?
Usted: formal¿Tiene un momento?Do you have a minute?
- Tú: informalPasa, por favor.
Come in, please.
Usted: formalPase, por favor.Come in, please.
On this page
When to use each
It depends on how close you are, and on the other person's age and role. These are the usual choices, though they vary by country and by family:
| Talking to | Usually |
|---|---|
| a friend, a family member | tú |
| a child, a classmate, someone your age | tú |
| a stranger, especially an older one | usted |
| an older person you respect | usted |
| a doctor, an official, a customer | usted |
| a coworker or your boss | depends on the workplace |
Everything that changes
Usted takes the same verb form as él and ella. And it's not just the verb: the pronouns, possessives, and commands all change to match.
| Tú | Usted | |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | tú hablas | usted habla |
| Object pronoun | te veo | lo, la veo |
| Indirect object | te digo | le digo |
| Possessive | tu casa | su casa |
| After a preposition | para ti | para usted |
| Command | habla | hable |
Señora, ¿la puedo ayudar?
Ma’am, can I help you?
¿Es su maleta, señor?
Is this your suitcase, sir?
Siéntese, por favor.
Have a seat, please.
More on each of these in subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessives, and commands.
Ustedes and vosotros
For more than one person, Latin America uses ustedes for everyone, friends or strangers. In Spain, vosotros is the informal plural, and ustedes is formal.
- Vosotros: informal (Spain)¿Venís a la fiesta?
Are you all coming to the party?
Ustedes: everyone else¿Vienen a la fiesta?Are you all coming to the party?
- Vosotros: informal (Spain)¿Qué queréis tomar?
What would you all like to drink?
Ustedes: everyone else¿Qué quieren tomar?What would you all like to drink?
Common mistakes English speakers make
Using the tú verb form with usted
Incorrect:Usted tienes razón.Correct:Usted tiene razón.Usted takes the él/ella form.
Mixing te with usted
Incorrect:Señor, ¿te puedo ayudar?Correct:Señor, ¿lo puedo ayudar?With usted, te becomes lo or la (or le for an indirect object).
Using tu with usted
Incorrect:¿Es tu maleta, señora?Correct:¿Es su maleta, señora?The possessive for usted is su.
Using a tú command with usted
Incorrect:Pasa, señora.Correct:Pase, señora.Usted commands use the subjunctive form: pase, siéntese.
Switching back and forth
Incorrect:¿Cómo está? ¿Y tu familia?Correct:¿Cómo está? ¿Y su familia?Once you choose tú or usted, stick with it for the whole conversation.
Questions about tú and usted
What is the difference between tú and usted?
Both mean "you." Tú is informal, for friends, family, children, and people your age. Usted is formal or respectful, for strangers, older people, and people in authority.
What verb form goes with usted?
The same form as él and ella: usted habla, usted tiene, usted es. Pronouns and possessives change too: lo or la and le instead of te, and su instead of tu.
When should I use usted?
With people you don't know, especially if they're older, and in formal situations like a doctor's office or a job interview. If you're not sure, start with usted: the other person will tell you if you can use tú.
What does tutear mean?
To speak to someone using tú. Puedes tutearme means "You can use tú with me." The opposite is tratar de usted.
What is the plural of tú and usted?
In Latin America, ustedes is the plural of both. In Spain, vosotros is the informal plural, and ustedes is formal.
Keep learning
Related
- Subject pronounsYo, tú, usted, and the rest: when to leave them out, tú vs. usted, and vos.
- The present tenseRegular endings, boot verbs, yo-go verbs, and the other irregulars.
- PossessivesMi, tu, su, nuestro, the long forms mío and tuyo, possession with de, and clearing up su.
- Commands (the imperative)Tú, usted, and negative commands, the 8 irregulars, and where pronouns and accents go.