Learn Spanish (Latin America): ¿Usted es chileno?

Even though usted means "you" (formally), it uses the same verb forms as "he" or "she" (él or ella). So, you must use es instead of eres, which is only for the informal "you" (tú).

Why isn't chileno capitalized?

In English, we capitalize nationalities like "Chilean", but in Spanish, nationalities and languages are always written with lowercase letters unless they start a sentence.

If I am asking a woman, does chileno change?

Yes! Adjectives in Spanish must match the gender of the person they describe. If you are asking a woman, you change the ending to an "a" and ask, "¿Usted es chilena?".

Why do we use es (from the verb ser) instead of está (from the verb estar)?

Spanish has two different verbs that mean "to be". We use ser (which gives us es) for core identities, permanent traits, and origins, such as your nationality. The other verb, estar, is used for temporary states or locations.

Could I just ask "¿Es chileno?" and leave out the word ?