“Tú” or “usted”: one English “you”, two Spanish ones
CEFR A1 · part 1
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
“Ser” or “estar”: two verbs for one “to be”Choosing between “ser” and “estar” in everyday sentences: who you are and what you are…Every noun is “el” or “la”Putting “el” or “la” in front of a noun, including the ones that do not follow the -o /…Adjectives agree, and they come afterMaking the adjective match the noun in gender and number, and putting it in its usual…You do not say “yo” every timeLeaving out the subject pronoun when the verb ending already says who it is, and putting…“El café”, “los lunes”, “el español”Putting “el”, “la”, “los” or “las” where English puts nothing: with things in general…“Me gusta”: the sentence turns roundBuilding sentences with “gustar”, “encantar”, “doler”, “interesar” and “faltar”: the…The rule, in three lines
Spanish has two ways of saying you to one person: tú with friends, family and anybody your own age, and usted to be formal or respectful. And the trap is not the pronoun: usted takes the SAME verb form as él and ella, so it is usted habla, never usted hablas.
The usual slip. Getting the pronoun right and the verb wrong —usted tienes— or using tú with everybody because English has one you.
Why it catches you out. English lost this distinction centuries ago, so you have never had to make the choice and there is nothing to bring across. What catches everybody is the verb: “¿usted habla inglés?” sounds like you are asking about somebody else until it stops sounding like that.