Usted vs Tú in Spanish: What's the Difference?

[@aaronnguyen403]

POV: You didn't pay attention in class

[@dudubutter9704]

Bruh😳

[@cbsteffen]

I like to think of “tú” as similar to the Old or Middle English word “thou” although those words might not necessarily mean the same thing. “Usted” is a contraction of “Vuestra merced” (literally “your mercy” or “your grace”) and therefore used to be abbreviated as “Vd.”

[@FrankiFrank351]

Nobody says "asi asi" xD se dice "más o menos" o "dos tres"

[@maryanncalzada1209]

Not everyone speaks the same variation of Spanish that you do. Other countries DO use it!

[@FrankiFrank351]

@@maryanncalzada1209 which one?

[@notebook1148]

Mary Ann Calzada there’s variations wtf is this mortal kombat chile

[@maryanncalzada7505]

@@FrankiFrank351 Spain, Mexico, Chile ....

[@maryanncalzada7505]

@@notebook1148 Just like there is American English, British English, Australian, etc. So, Castllian Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Argentinian, etc.

[@kaiikaika512]

USTED is an hierarchical colonial anachronistic word. Many people HATE it specially women. Because one of the stupid use of it is if someone LOOKS older. Yeah insult women for the sake of formality. In most countries used too like "Mexico" they consider 38 old. So they start using Usted on women and men at around that age. I mean no one likes to be reminded that they're old every time you talk to someone. This word is anachronistic for our modern times. It's like telling a person " I respect you because you look old" who wants to hear that. Tu is a much inclusive way of addressing someone. In Spain almost no one uses the divisive "USTED" anymore. Please stop teaching it.

[@laizal2745]

Conseguite un problema real

[@you-jf2cj]

Amiga, sería mil veces más insultante salir de la nada y decirle a un desconocido "tú", como si fueran iguales, o cercanos, o algo por el estilo. ¿O acaso te dirijes a tu jefe, profesor, o mayor como si fueran amigos?

[@dvango7090]

@@you-jf2cj As an English speaker, this is really interesting. Should I learn “usted”?

[@you-jf2cj]

@@dvango7090 In general, one could very well skip personal pronouns and still sound polite. An example of this would be: '¿Podría pasarme el celular, por favor?' Instead of saying '¿Podrías pasarme tú el celular, por favor?' o '¿Tú, podrías pasarme el celular, por favor?' which is not only not polite, but also sounds unnatural. We use 'tú' or 'usted' more for these types of sentences: '¿Tú, acaso no tienes conciencia?' O 'Profesor, ¿usted ya vio mi trabajo?' '¿Ustedes ya terminaron el examen? etc.

[@claudiakai145]

​​@@dvango7090 It all depends on how you want to speak. Using "usted" is similar to using the word "Thy" which is a word no one uses in English anymore. Unlike English, Spanish still uses very old archaic words. The word "Usted" became short for "your mercy" or "your grace". If you're a professor you'll understand that vocabulary and language changes and evolves. The field of socio-linguistics studies those changes. Some people like the person you're asking doesn't want that change. So using "Usted" to her on the year 2023 is perfectly fine, and grammatically wise she's not wrong..If you want to speak an old Monarchic, hariarchical Spanish use it and learn it. It's used to address people of a higher rank than you be it due to social status, title, age. I read many comments that a lot of people don't like it specially when it's associated with age, as if someone looks old to you and you address them as "usted" you'd be calling them "old" indirectly. You know in our day and age no one wants to feel old. It's also a word which puts a distance between the speaker and the person being spoken to so if you don't want to be friends with that person it's a good way of letting them know, also indirectly. You say "Tu" when you want to be amicable and welcoming. Yes it is complex as if you say "tu" wanting to be friendly with someone who doesn't want to be friendly to you, they may tell you to not address them as Tu. Latin countries are very class divided. A person of a lower social Status or working in certain fields like for example a maid always addresses to her boss as "Usted" if she didn't it would be very disrespectful, however her boss can use either. See again these words are hariarchical vocabulary. What she explained is not wrong but is it right to use them in a country which is not a monarchy hence hariarchical vocabulary is no longer applicable? personally I think not. But if you use "Tu" and someone says "no me tutees" which means "don't address me as Tu" which indirectly means "hey we're not equal here, I don't even know you so don't use Tu to address me" and some people do think that way, specially as I said in Latin countries social classes are very divided. You could always say "Perdon, Usted" or you could say "para mi todos somos iguales" "to me we're all equal hence I used Tu, I don't feel above nor below you". If language didn't evolve by era, attitudes, beliefs we'd still be speaking Aramaic, Latin, and all the other founding languages and dialects. However all languages have evolve through history and shaped by gov style, attitudes, beliefs, religions and other social constructs. That's what I don't think the person you asked takes into consideration to her it's just that way because "it's always been that way and we don't question ourselves we follow tradition" and that's the belief in most Latin countries. Personally I don't agree. I question everything and I evolve accordingly I don't stay living in the 16th century in any way shape or form.