Okay, So I’m currently learning Spanish by books, CDs and internet sites. I know it’s very hard and all and I’ve just begun so this question will seem pretty easy to all you who’s first language is Spanish or are fluent in the language.
In the book it has greetings and one is “Como estas” (How are you) it also has ‘usted’ in brackets. On the internet sites it has “Como esta” as well. What I want to know is what is the correct phrase and why are there so many variations.
Any extra help is wonderful…
Thanks
You'll use "usted" if the person you are addressing the question isn't familiar to you, is a stranger, you boss, a person you have no confidence or is not a relative of yours. "Usted" is the formal was in Spanish to say "tu" (you).
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You can ask how are you in two different ways, one addressing a person formally and informally. The Tu form is the informal one and Usted is the formal form. For verbs that end in ar, you add an as to the ending for the tu form and just one a for the usted form. hope that gives you the basic idea. It’s much more complicated, but that’s the basic rundown.
So, use coma esta in a formal situation. Use coma estas for a casual situation.
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Spanish 4 Student
You'll use "usted" if the person you are addressing the question isn't familiar to you, is a stranger, you boss, a person you have no confidence or is not a relative of yours. "Usted" is the formal was in Spanish to say "tu" (you).
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My main language is Spanish
Usted is a respectfully way to speak with older or superiors,example:with your grandmother or with your boss.
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the “tu” form is used when talking informally, as in to a friend or family member. Como estas? (tu)
The “usted” form is used when talking formally, to a person you do not know, a police officer, a judge, or an elder. Como esta? (usted)
It might not make sense to you now, but keep practicing. Try this free practice website: http://www.livemocha.com
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¿Cómo estás?" (tú)
¿Cómo está?" (usted)
The reason why "usted" exists is because it comes from the saying "vuestra merced", which means "your grace". It was used as a nobility title in former times. However, people shortened it down into "vuesteced", then into "vuested", then into "vusted" and finally the "v" was dropped. "Usted" uses third person conjugation becaused "vuestra merced" also used third person conjugation. That's why there's two versions to anything in Spanish really. Interesting, no?
Anyhow, how the people above previously mentioned, "usted" is mostly used when referring formally to people as a sign of respect. "Tú" is simply used informally with family, friends and acquaintances.
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These are the variations:
tú estás
Tú is the way you address a friend, an equal, or someone younger or socially or professionally your inferior.
Ud. está
Ud. is how you address someone who is less familiar…a superior at work or socially, someone older than you, pretty much anyone you would address by a title, such as Mr., Dr., Sir (ma'am) etc.
vosotros estáis
Vosotros is used in Spain, and in a few tiny educated pockets of other countries, though some people will say that it simply isn't used anymore…it is. It means y'all, or the plural of tú. If everyone in the group you are addressing would be a tú, then you address them with Vosotros.
N.B. In Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, they use an evolved form of vosotros…vos. I'm not entirely sure how it is used, but it can be the singular AND plural of the familiar…the verb form is estás or estís…again, I'm not really sure…maybe someone who is Argentinian can help with that.
Uds. están
Uds. is plural, formal you, in Spain, and plural you in most of the rest of the Spanish world.
Tú - 2nd person sing., takes the second verb in the conjugation chart.
Ud. - 3d person sing., takes the third form from the conjugation chart, the same as he, she, and it, do.
vosotros - 2nd person plural, takes the fifth form
Uds. - 3d person plural, takes the sixth form, the same as they.
The chart looks like this for estar:
yo estoy
tú estás
él, ella, Ud. está
Nosotros estamos
Vosotros estáis
ellos, ellas, Uds. están
I always put the two parts side by side, but it doesn't work well on this site.
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como estas . you can ask to the person that you know very well like friends , familia, etc
the word USTED is used por person that you dont know for example whe someone introduce someone that you never have seen
como te va….;es mas personal
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hablo espanol pero no ingles