Greetings · 2a8e73cd507a226eaa8ace1491fdaca5
Tú vs. Usted
Tú and usted both mean you, so what's the difference? Tú is used in friendly conversations, while usted is for more formal interactions.
Juan, ¿cómo estás tú?Juan, how are you?
Hola, señor. ¿Cómo está usted?Hello, sir. How are you?
¿Cómo te llamas?
¿Cómo te llamas? is used to ask What's your name? in informal interactions. It literally means How do you call yourself?
Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?Hello, what's your name?
Me llamo Omar.
My name is Omar.
¡Mucho gusto, Omar!
Nice to meet you, Omar!
Remember to use usted in more formal settings or when speaking to someone older than you.
Hola, señor. ¿Cómo se llama usted?Hello, sir. What's your name?
Ser vs. Estar
Use estar to describe things that are temporary. For example, you would use estoy, estás, or está to talk about how people are feeling or doing.
¡Yo estoy cansada!I'm tired!
El hombre está feliz.The man is happy.
Use ser for more permanent descriptions. For example, you would use soy, eres, or es to explain what someone is like or where they're from.
Mi hermano es inteligente.My brother is intelligent.