Formal and informal you (tú vs. usted)

"You" in Spanish: Tú vs. Usted

In English, we just say "you" to everyone. In Spanish, there are two ways to say "you" to one person, depending on how formal you want to be.

Informal You: Tú

Use tú when talking to people you know well, like friends, family members, people your own age, and children.

Formal You: Usted

Use usted as a sign of respect. You will use this with strangers, people older than you, or in professional settings (like talking to a doctor or a boss). You will often hear it paired with titles like señor (sir) or señora (ma'am). Usted pairs with the same verb form as él / ella — the last section shows how.

Matching the Verb

Because tú and usted are different pronouns, verbs will change their endings to match the one you are using. Notice how the verb drops its final -s when switching from tú to usted.