Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tú | /ˈtu/ | familiar |
| usted | /usˈted/ | polite |
| vos | /ˈbos/ | familiar |
While tú, vos and usted are all singular, they serve different social functions and are used in different parts of the world.
Which one should you use?
The primary distinction is between the informal and formal versions. Use tú for friends, family and peers, whereas usted is used to show respect or to maintain social distance with strangers or elders. Additionally, while tú, vos and usted are all singular, you should use ustedes when addressing a group of people (plural "you").
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tú is an informal and familiar form. usted is the polite and formal form. vos is also a familiar form used in specific regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Colombia, vos is a common informal alternative to tú.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun tú is used with second-person singular verb conjugations. In contrast, usted is used with third-person singular verb conjugations.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtu/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the subject pronoun tú with tu. The version with the accent is the subject pronoun meaning "you", while the version without the accent is the possessive adjective meaning "your".
Did you know?
- The formal 'you', usted, is actually a contraction of 'vuestra merced', which literally translates to 'your mercy'.
- Switching from usted to tú during a conversation is a social gesture called 'tutear', which signals a shift toward intimacy or friendship.
- While 'vos' is the plural 'you' in Latin, it has been repurposed in many Latin American regions to act as a singular, informal 'you'.
Examples in context
- ¿Y tú qué tal?And you, how are you?This sentence is useful for asking how someone is doing using tú.Tatoeba #618944 by Shishir, translation #388264 by Dorenda
- Si yo fuera tú.If I were you.This sentence is useful for expressing a hypothetical situation using tú.Tatoeba #754014 by Shishir, translation #10121564 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿No eres tú Tom?Aren't you Tom?This sentence is useful for confirming someone's identity using tú.Tatoeba #797225 by Shishir, translation #37392 by CK
- Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted?Good morning, how are you?
- ¿Podría ayudarme, por favor?Could you help me, please?
- Gracias por su atención.Thank you for your attention.
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hi, how are you?
- 1762 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking in a coffee shop.
- Alejandro¿Tú quieres un café, Lucía?Do you want a coffee, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, gracias, Alejandro.Yes, thank you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroTú siempre pides lo mismo.You always order the same thing.
- LucíaEs que me encanta este café.It's just that I love this coffee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries tú, usted, vos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tú, usted, vos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
