Which one should you use?
ser respetuoso describes someone's character or steady behavior. To tell someone directly to be respectful, use a command. Informally that is Sé respetuoso/a, as in Oye, sé respetuoso/a. Formally it is Sea respetuoso/a, as in Señor/señora, sea respetuoso/a. Other options are Respeta a los demás or Muestre respeto por los demás for show respect for others, and Ten consideración or Tenga consideración for be considerate.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective agrees with the person described. Use ser respetuosa for a woman and respetuosos or respetuosas for a group.
How do you pronounce it?
ser respetuoso is pronounced /seɾ ɾespetwoso/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Use ser, not estar, here. ser respetuoso describes a lasting trait, while estar would suggest only a temporary state.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, being respectful to elders involves el beso, a social kiss on the cheek when greeting them.
- The verb ser in ser respetuoso shares an ancient root with the Latin verb sedēre, which means 'to sit'.
- While ser respetuoso is used for character, Spanish has a related word educado for politeness. Someone can be educado by knowing their manners without necessarily being respetuoso in their heart.
Examples in context
- Debes ser respetuoso con tus padres.You should be respectful to your parents.ser respetuoso con introduces the people who deserve respect, here the parents.Tatoeba #865764 by Hohen, translation #269729 by CK
- Uno debería ser respetuoso con las creencias de otros en vez de burlarse de ellas.One should be respectful of others' beliefs rather than mock them.Here ser respetuoso con refers to respecting the beliefs of others.Tatoeba #713043 by darinmex, translation #713042 by darinmex
- Es importante ser respetuoso en la oficina.It is important to be respectful in the office.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing how to act at a formal event.
- MateoElena, recuerda ser respetuoso con los invitados.Elena, remember to be respectful to the guests.
- ElenaLo sé, Mateo, siempre trato de ser amable.I know, Mateo, I always try to be kind.
- MateoEso es bueno, pero hay que ser respetuoso aquí.That is good, but one must be respectful here.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, me comportaré bien.Don't worry, I will behave well.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries respetuoso, ser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
