Cheat sheet · Mexico & Bolivia
The “you” forms
Which “you”?
| Talking to… | Word | Verb form |
|---|---|---|
| one person, close (partner, friend, child) | tú | ends in -s |
| one person, respect (in-laws, elders, strangers) | usted | same as él / ella |
| two or more people (anyone) | ustedes | same as ellos |
| one person, close (east Bolivia, Tarija) | vos | forms coming later |
No vosotros in Latin America. Ustedes covers every group. RAE DPD
The trick (present tense)
tú form − s = usted form. usted form + n = ustedes form.
| Verb | tú | usted | ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|
| estar to be (how/where) | estás | está | están |
| querer to want | quieres | quiere | quieren |
| tener to have | tienes | tiene | tienen |
| hablar to speak | hablas | habla | hablan |
| ser to be (who/what) rebel | eres | es | son |
Family rules
- Partner → tú (or vos, if the family uses it).
- Partner’s parents and grandparents → start with usted. Suegros 101
- They may use tú with you. You can still use usted with them.
- Switch to tú when invited: Puedes hablarme de tú.
- hablar de tú = to use tú with someone. RAE DLE
Key phrases
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? / ¿Cómo está? / ¿Cómo están? | How are you? (tú / usted / ustedes) |
| ¿Quiere café? | Do you want coffee? (usted) |
| ¿A tus papás les hablo de tú o de usted? | Do I use tú or usted with your parents? |