In Spanish, there’s a formal and an informal way of addressing someone. We have “tú”, which is “you”, and “usted”, another “you” (but… a formal one). We can tell the difference though if you’re being polite (or formal) or not.  This is because the verb conjugations are different for “tú” and “usted”.

Compare this to English where people use their voices (soft) or certain forms of address (“sir”, or “ma’am”) to be polite or formal with someone.

If you’re a beginner Spanish student, don’t worry too much about being able to use “tú” or “usted” 100% properly – you probably won’t offend anyone! However, it’s a good idea to be aware of this important distinction so that as your Spanish improves you can put formal vs. informal into practice.  It will also help knowing “tú” and “usted”, because when you travel to Latin America, being an outsider, people will often refer to YOU using “usted”. 

When should I use “Tú”?

Tú — We use this form primarily in informal contexts. For example, when you know the person or when you’re speaking with someone your own age. In most Spanish-speaking countries, an older person would use “tú” when speaking to a younger person, but not the other way around.

When should I use “Usted”?

Usted — We use this form in formal contexts. For example, when we don’t know someone or when we want to show respect (at work, in an office or store), and especially to address an elderly person. In these cases, we sometimes use “señor”, or “señora” as well.

So, basically, it all depends on the context, which can be either formal or informal.

Note: in some Latin American countries, you might encounter a third option – “vos”.  That’s a topic for another post, but for the meantime, just know that “vos” (used in much of Central America, the Southern Cone countries like Argentina and regionally in other countries) is more or less, the same as “tú”. 

Now that you’re familiar with tú vs. usted, all you have to do is remember to use them in the right context.  If it’s an informal context, like talking with friends or people a lot younger than you, use “tú”.  If it’s a more formal situation, where you want to show respect for the person you’re talking to, for instance at work, or if you’re talking to an elderly person, use “usted”.  Next, see our post about Verb Conjugations or if you haven’t already, make sure to review all the Subject Pronouns in Spanish.