February 13th, 2023 / Alejandro Nunez

The Great Spanish Pronoun Debate:
Vosotros vs Ustedes

"Vosotros" and "Ustedes" are two Spanish pronouns used to refer to a group of people directly (2 or more) - Indirectly, we would use ‘Ellos or Ellas’ 

In Spain, the pronoun "Vosotros" is commonly used in informal or familiar situations to directly address a group of people. On the other hand, in Latin America, the pronoun "ustedes" is used in all contexts, whether formal or informal.

Let’s use the most common question in Spanish as an example:
  • Hola, ¿Cómo estás? - in this example, the subject is ‘(one person)
  • Hola, ¿Cómo estáis? - in this example, the subject is ‘vosotros(two or more people)
  • Hola, ¿Cómo están? - in this example, the subject is ‘ustedes(two or more people)

Here's a simple explanation of the difference between "vosotros" and "ustedes":
"Vosotros" is an informal way of addressing a group of people in Spain. It's similar to saying "you guys" in English.

"Ustedes"
is the equivalent of "vosotros" in Latin America, but it is used in all formal or informal situations. It's similar to saying "you all" or "you guys" in English.

So, if you're learning Spanish and plan to travel to Latin America, it's important to know that "vosotros" is not used there and to use "ustedes" instead as a form of address. 

This will help you communicate effectively with Spanish speakers in Latin America or Spain and ensure everything is understood.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. 

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