HEY YOU!

I also asked my C.P. about the formal and informal you (tú and Usted). In the three languages that I have studied this concept has come up. A concept that I have only roughly understood because we don’t have it in English! You never know if you should say you formally or you informally. Of course culture plays a large role into who you say what to. What you say in Mexico is going to be different then what you say Spain. For my C.P. she comes from a culture were they use the formal you (Usted) regulary, parents are formal, elders, people you don’t know, and people older than about 30. The Usted form of you is a form of respect. If I had met her and we were speaking Spanish I would have used informal (tú) right away. Still not completely convinced (and not wanting to offend anyone) I asked her if there was a general rule as to when you know that you need to call the person Usted (formal you) and she said....after the person is married is a fairly good sign that they should be given a formal you (unless of course you are close to this person).