Questions tagged [formalidad]
Preguntas relacionadas con tratamientos (forma **usted**), cómo dirigirse a alguien adecuadamente (Señor o señora) o cómo decir algo de manera educada. Questions related to the best way to address someone (_tú_ vs. _usted_, Señor/señora) or asking something politely.
57
questions
3
votes
2answers
88 views
Should I use querido, estimado, or distinguido in an email to a teacher?
I have been sending emails to my teacher using:
Querido, ...
I recently found out that estimado and distinguido also mean "dear". Which form of "dear" should I use in an email (...
2
votes
2answers
45 views
Word Order- inversion
when saying something e.g. three bikes were stolen. is it better fo say "tres bicis fueron robadas" or "fueron robadas tres bicis". is one more formal than the other? thanks
2
votes
1answer
129 views
¿Cómo se dice “ustedes” en un manera informal?
How exactly would one say ustedes in an informal way? I'm not talking about vosotros, since it is only used in Spain.
0
votes
1answer
88 views
¿Por qué se llama «tío» al Tío de la mina?
El Tío es una deidad demoníaca boliviana:
Es considerado como el dios del inframundo en Cerro Rico, Potosí, y en otras regiones con tradición en extracción minera en dicho país como Oruro. Existen ...
4
votes
1answer
187 views
Usage of “tú” between men, implying homosexuality?
I recently read that, in some parts of Latin America (I don't know exactly which countries), the use of "tú" or tuteo could carry additional connotations beyond the formal/informal way to address ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
En los EE.UU., ¿cuándo hay que usar “usted” y cuando hay que usar “tú”?
Vivo en los Estados Unidos. Aquí hay personas de todos los países hispanohablantes.
Si fuimos amigos muy familiares y muy cercanos emocionalmente en el pasado, ¿ya no debo hablar de tú porque solo ...
8
votes
3answers
12k views
¿Por qué “don, doña” para el nombre pero “señor, señora” para el apellido?
El uso actual, al menos en España, dicta que "don, doña" se usa normalmente solo para los nombres; y que para los apellidos se debe usar "señor, señora":
Don Arturo, pero señor Pérez-Reverte;
Doña ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Using Usted/Tu when talking with chatbots
I am developing an app for the Google Assistant and making Spanish translations.
My question is:
How should chatbots (the Google Assistant) refer to the user, and
How should users refer to the ...
3
votes
1answer
423 views
Forma correcta para referirse a dos personas al mismo tiempo con diferente nivel de tratamiento
Ayer se me dio una circunstancia curiosa. Recibí en casa la visita de dos personas, a una de las cuales trato con familiaridad (de tú), y a la otra la trato con respeto (de usted). En un momento dado ...
7
votes
2answers
195 views
¿Es “Que sí/ Que no” incorrecto o agresivo como respuesta a una pregunta?
Mandé a un amigo esta frase (en el medio de una conversación más larga)
Que sí, lo he probado
Me ha respondido mi amigo
cuando dices 'que sí', es incorrecto, además suena 'agresivo', como si ...
2
votes
3answers
867 views
¿Por qué cambiar “usted” con “tú”?
Trabajo con mexicanos que suelen cambiar el uso de verbos de la forma de "usted" a la de "tú" platicando entre sí, y al revés también.
¿Hay reglas del uso de "usted" que cambian con la situación y ...
7
votes
2answers
317 views
Using “he/she” and “usted's” possessive pronoun in a sentence
I have a sentence:
"Father, he was writing in your notebook."
Wouldn't that translate into:
"Padre, él estaba escribiendo en su cuaderno."
Wouldn't that be confusing because it could also read:...
5
votes
1answer
975 views
Is it OK to use “tú” (tutear) when addressing a stranger in Spain?
Is it OK to use tú (tutear) when addressing a stranger in Spain?
By stranger I mean a person that is unknown or with whom one is unacquainted, I do not mean a foreigner.
Background: I recently ...
5
votes
5answers
3k views
Using “tener” as English “to have” to ask for things (“can I have…?”)
Recently there was a question that incidentally included an ungrammatical example: “¿Puedo tener un vaso de agua?”, obviously a literal translation from English “¿May I have a glass of water?”. This ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Affirmative usted(es) and tú commands
For affirmative tú commands, if you say “cut it”, then “it”, “lo”, would have to go on the end of “cut”, “corta”, which would then look like, “córtalo”. Is this the same for affirmative usted(es) ...
2
votes
2answers
6k views
Difference between Vosotros and ellos/ellas/Ustedes [duplicate]
I am American learning Spanish on Duolingo.
Trying to understand the difference between vosotros (they all) and ellos/ellas/Ustedes (they all)
Is vosotros informal, whereas ellos/ellas/Ustedes is ...
2
votes
1answer
396 views
Talking to strangers - tú or usted?
What form is normally used when talking to people like sales clerks, waiters? (It seems to me that real life Spanish is quite different from what the phrase books say).
6
votes
1answer
6k views
Grados de formalidad en las expresiones para ir al baño
En español para decir que alguien ha ido al cuarto de baño, podemos elegir entre váter, aseo, baño, escusado... y seguramente algunas más que no recuerdo o que desconozco.
Sin embargo, en mi caso al ...
0
votes
3answers
987 views
Why are verbs with Usted conjugated the same way as with El and Ella? [duplicate]
This is probably a question just for linguists. Is there a reason why verbs with Usted are conjugated the same way as with El and Ella? A historical reason maybe?
4
votes
2answers
302 views
How can I translate “Leave to cool” for a recipe? Should it be “Deje ” or “Deja que se enfríe”?
I am trying to write a cooking recipe as homework (should point out I have a tutor who is trying to help me learn Spanish purely for my own development so not a school kid trying to cheat his teacher :...
5
votes
2answers
150 views
When writing a post to people you don't know, which form of address should you use: 'tú', 'usted', or 'ustedes'?
When writing a post to people you don't know, which form of address should you use: "tú," "usted," or "ustedes?"
Primero mi pregunta en español:
Al escribir un post a la gente que no conoce, ¿cuál ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
“Estimado Equipo de (nombre de la empresa)”, ¿es correcto?
¿Está bien encabezar una carta de presentación con lo siguiente?
Estimado equipo de (nombre de la empresa)
Es que eso es bueno en inglés.
Además, "equipo" debe ir con minúscula inicial, ¿...
6
votes
1answer
5k views
Tratamiento formal plural en Argentina: “vosotros” versus “ustedes”
En Argentina es común el uso de ustedes para referirse a un grupo de personas no formalmente. ¿Pero entonces vosotros sería formal? Hasta donde tengo entendido es demasiado formal (y arcaico), es ...
6
votes
3answers
622 views
Use of “usted” to convey formality *and* affection? (in Ecuador)
My prometida (she's Ecuadorian) has occasionally referred to me as usted, but she said that in this context it can convey not only formality / respect, but also affection! I'm fascinated by this ...
5
votes
4answers
30k views
¿Qué debo poner antes del nombre, “C.” o “Ing.”?
Normalmente en mi contrato de prestación de servicios profesionales yo antecedo a mi nombre mi título universitario (Ing.). Sin embargo, un cliente me hizo notar que debería utilizar mejor C. (Como ...
4
votes
3answers
431 views
Is it good to use “tú” instead of “usted” to make a connection?
If I want to make a connection with someone, does using Tú instead of Usted indicate that? Or would it be too forward if you do that too soon?
I understand this is probably region specific. I live in ...
4
votes
1answer
101 views
What forms of address are used between criminals/suspected criminals and law enforcement/interrogators?
Primero mi pregunta en español:
¿Qué formas de apelativo se usan entre criminales/presuntos delincuentes y la policía/interrogadores?
Details in English:
Recently I’ve been reviewing the various ...
2
votes
4answers
158 views
How should I talk about something done in preparation for a visit? Should I use “su visita” or “tu visita”?
I am looking to say to someone something along the lines of "I've bought cheese for your visit". It's a dear friend I'm speaking to so it should be informal.
Does this work?
He comprado queso para ...
1
vote
2answers
961 views
How to say, “You give yourself a gift”, in formal speech?
If this is the informal way to say such:
Te das un regalo. | You give yourself a gift.
Is this, then, a formal way of the same:
Le das un regalo. | You give yourself a gift.
The above, of course, ...
1
vote
1answer
383 views
Cómo se dice “I'm looking forward to” en una comunicación más formal
Cuando envío un email en español, muchas veces quisiera decir “I’m looking forward to” (ej., visitar Buenos Aires; asistir al congreso; recibir noticias suyas; enterarme de sus planes, etc.). ¿Cómo ...
4
votes
2answers
468 views
En España, ¿el Gobierno usa “tú” o “usted”?
Mi experiencia indica que en México se usa "usted", pero sé que en España quizás son un poco menos formales.
Tengo que traducir una carta de la Seguridad Social de EE.UU. en frases dirigidas a mí, ¿...
6
votes
7answers
1k views
What is the meaning of “tuteándome” in Spanish?
Estaba ardiendo en dudas cuando una secretaria me invitó a seguirla por la misma
puerta del fondo, hasta una oficina pequeña, con una larga estantería de gruesos
volúmenes. Un beduino colosal se ...
5
votes
3answers
4k views
Addressing a person in mail, person has a title
I would like to address a person with a medical Dr. title formally in mail. In English it is simple, just adding the title: "Dear Dr. X." In German, on the other hand, it is a bit more complex: I also ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
Como decir “lavado de dinero” de mejor manera o mas formal?
La realidad es que la frase "lavar dinero" es un poco común pero también un poco vulgar. Me gustaría saber como se puede referir a este tema de una manera mas formal.
0
votes
3answers
603 views
Are there verbs in Spanish meaning “to use the familiar/formal you” (like “to be on first-name terms” or “du sagen” in German)?
In Spanish you have 2 forms of you:
tú for familiar addressing (friends/peers)
Usted for formal addressing
Is there a single verb meaning "to use tú to address him", something like the German du ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
What's the formal, genderless way to greet someone in a letter?
In English, I would start a letter like this:
Greetings <person's name>,
(...)
I'm trying to replace "greetings" with a word or an expression in Spanish that could work with both men and ...
5
votes
2answers
174 views
Formalidad de “Tu mujer”
So I saw this tweet on Twitter:
Which for me raises the question of formality and dialect uses of "tu mujer" vs. "tu esposa". Is one more formal than the other? I ask because I know that "tu mujer"...
2
votes
2answers
666 views
¿Qué tan adecuado es usar “en tanga” en un escrito formal?
Hace unos días leía la noticia de fútbol El Madrid gana de milagro a un PSG muy superior y me sorprendió ver esta frase:
En tanga todo el primer acto, el Madrid se fue de ejercicios
espirituales ...
asked Nov 6 '15 at 12:42
fedorqui 'SO stop harming'
32.7k89 gold badges236 silver badges407 bronze badges
3
votes
3answers
4k views
“Pay your respects” in Spanish
I am looking for a good translation to the phrase "Pay your respects" in Spanish.
I haven't been able to figure out one that really conveys the meaning. These are the ones I currently came up with:
...
1
vote
1answer
142 views
“Armar un lío”, es muy casual o apropriado para contenido formal?
Puedo decir que armar una lío es una expresión completamente informal o no? Por ejemplo, si voy a contestar un correo de manera formal, ¿es apropiado?
8
votes
3answers
2k views
¿Por qué se usa la forma “tú” en publicidades en vez de “usted”?
Muchas veces he encontrado publicidades que usan la forma tú como lo siguiente:
Yo pienso que que estaría mejor usar la forma usted, porque es mas formal y profesional (en mi opinión).
¿Quizás no ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the usage of the pronoun “su”? Is it a correct translation from “your”?
English:
I've always thought the Spanish pronoun "su" means "his/hers", as in su perro es grande. Recently though in my language studies, I've noticed "su" being used in the "your" context as in por ...
2
votes
2answers
8k views
Singular and Plural “You” - how does one differentiate in Spanish between a singular and plural you?
What is the most accurate "you all" translation?
There are two "yous". Singular and plural you. The latter is sometimes called "you all", "y'all", or "youse guys" in American English. What is the ...
6
votes
1answer
14k views
Ending a formal letter / Terminar una carta formal
English
When writing a formal letter in English, I would normally end with something along the lines of
I look forward to hearing from you [soon|as soon as possible|at your earliest convenience].
...
7
votes
1answer
18k views
¿Cómo empezar una carta de manera formal/oficial?
Tengo que escribir una carta formal y quiero escribir de la misma manera y con el mismo respeto que en inglés (dear sir, dear madam), son dos personas que no son parientes pero quiero ser cortés con ...
20
votes
8answers
2k views
¿Quiénes son los más afectados por el ustedeo?
He encontrado que varias veces, mi empleo del español en conversación es afectado por el llamado "ustedeo". Afecta mis relaciones con gente que acabo de conocer, porque muchas personas piensan que ...
2
votes
3answers
881 views
Difference between “salvo” and “salvado” (religion)
For expressing the religious concept of being "saved," what is the difference between salvo and salvado? Is there any difference in connotation or formality of the two words? Are there any contexts ...
5
votes
5answers
7k views
Translating “Slow down!” (in informal contexts)
English
WordReference translates "slow down" as disminuir la velocidad or desacelerar. But those sound pretty precise or technical to me. How would you translate "Slow down!" in other, more informal ...
30
votes
9answers
9k views
How do I ask someone not to call me “usted”?
Suppose you're in a situation where you have a formal/business relationship with someone, but the relationship has become more familiar over time. The other person continues to call you usted. How ...
6
votes
3answers
772 views
usted and its usage
I understand that usted is used for formal usage.
When conjugating a verb is there a rule for its use? Must it always be used along with the conjugated verb? Or are there any instances where an ...
