Spanish 1 / Unit 1: Greetings and Introductions
1.6 Formal and Informal Address
Notes
Spanish has two ways to say "you" to one person.
- tú (informal): friends, family, classmates, children, pets.
- usted (formal, abbreviated Ud.): adults you don't know well, teachers, bosses, older people.
- Titles: señor (Mr., sir), señora (Mrs., ma'am), señorita (Miss). Abbreviations: Sr., Sra., Srta.
- Each pronoun uses different phrases: ¿Cómo estás? (tú) vs. ¿Cómo está usted? (usted).
| Informal (tú) | Formal (usted) |
|---|---|
| ¿Cómo te llamas? | ¿Cómo se llama usted? |
| ¿Cómo estás? | ¿Cómo está usted? |
| ¿Y tú? | ¿Y usted? |
Practice
Who would you normally address with "tú"?
Tú is for family, friends and younger people.
Which question is formal?
Se llama usted uses the formal usted.
What does "Sra. López" mean?
Sra. is short for señora (Mrs.).
Ready for more? Take the Unit 1 test.