Spanish · Chapter 41 · Lesson 9 · Common mistake
tú or usted?
Getting this wrong is not a grammar error. It is a social one.
The rule
tú is for friends, family, children, and colleagues roughly your own age. usted is for a stranger older than you, an official, a customer, or anyone you want to keep at a polite distance. Spanish moves to tú much faster than French moves off vous, but the first move is theirs to make, not yours.
Pick the right one
0/6Pick the right one: tú or usted.
A un policía: ¿Puede ayudarme?
A un hermano: ¿Puedes ayudarme?
A un niño en la calle: ¿Estás perdido?
Al director de la empresa: ¿Tiene un momento?
A un amigo de siempre: ¿Vienes conmigo?
A una señora mayor que no conoces: ¿Necesita ayuda?
The full lesson on this sits in the same chapter.
Read the full lesson