Ch 48 · Lesson 17

Ustedes for everyone, and he comido or comí

Latin America has : , to friends and strangers alike. And for today's events, Spain says he where most of Latin America says .

The short version

Latin America says to friends

¿ ?

What do you (all) want to eat? (Latin America)
Why?

Latin America has : is the plural you for everyone, with the they form of the verb. Spain keeps for friends ( ) and for strangers. For something done today, Spain says he and most of Latin America ; both are correct.

Ustedes for everyone

SpainLatin AmericaWhat do the colours mean?

Latin America has . is the plural you for everyone, friends and strangers alike, always with the third-person plural verb:

Speaking toSpainLatin America
two friends . .
two strangers . .

The Canary Islands and parts of western Andalusia say to friends too. Popular speech in western Andalusia even pairs it with the verb ( ); the standard everywhere is . If you learn Latin American Spanish you can leave out of your own speech, but you still need to recognise it: Spanish films, books and songs are full of it.

  • ¿ ? - What do you (all) want to eat? (Spain, friends)
  • ¿ ? - What do you (all) want to eat? (Latin America)

Today's past: he comido or comí?

SpainLatin AmericaWhat do the colours mean?

For something that happened today, most of Spain uses the perfect. Most of Latin America, the Canary Islands and north-west Spain use the preterite:

  • ayer: comí, everywhere

  • this morning: he comido (Spain), comí (Latin America)

  • now

Timeline from past to now, with now marked.

WhenSpainLatin America
this morning . .
just now¿ ?¿ ?
yesterday . .

Both are correct Spanish. Latin America still uses the perfect for a whole life up to now: . - I have never been to Spain. That sentence works on both sides of the Atlantic, though also says . The full rules are on the present perfect.

Going further: Regional grammar at a glance and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.

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Lesson 17 of 27 in this chapter

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What do the colours mean?