The Importance of Learning ‘Vosotros’ if Spain Is in Your Future
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Ah, Spain. The people, the culture, the Spanish. What a wonderful place to live, work and visit. As birthplace to the Castilian Spanish dialect and the hispanosphere, just like the language, the culture is rich and full of both tradition and diversity.
Upon first arriving in Spain to visit or live, you’ll notice one of the most characteristic differences of Spain’s Spanish (as opposed to North, Central, and South American Spanish) is the general usage of the subject pronoun vosotros.
This pronoun is the rough equivalent of “you all” in English, and is used as the plural form of the subject pronoun tu, informally meaning “you.” Although this informal plural “you all” subject pronoun exists as a part of the Spanish language, it is seldom found in other parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
If you’re heading to Spain in the near future, here are four important things to know about the vosotros form. Then, after reading this, make sure to brush up on your skills!
Travelling to Spain? Learn Spanish from a qualified Spaniard in your city or online!
1. Vosotros is an important part of Spain’s communication style.
Vosotros is everywhere. Maybe it’s the casualness of this pronoun that’s so appealing. Maybe it’s a tradition that just didn’t stick elsewhere around the world. I’ll touch more on the specifics of using vosotros below. But it’s important to note that even if you aren’t incredibly familiar with this form and its conjugations, you will hear it used a lot in Spain.
When all else fails, you can revert back to using the ustedes form for communication if this is more familiar to you. Just be aware that you aren’t talking like the natives around you.
2. There is a difference between vosotros and ustedes.
Essentially, these two pronouns mean very similar things, though one is more formal and the other is not. Vosotros being the more informal plural form of “you all” is frequently used in everyday conversation, with kids, with friends, with pets, and so forth.
In Spain, usted (singular) and ustedes (plural) are used as well. But this happens only for more formal occasions, or occasions where respect must be shown. So, if you meet the Pope while in Spain, be sure to use the usted form.
In other Spanish-speaking countries, however, vosotros is never (or rarely) used. So, even in casual situations where, in Spain, this form is present, other countries still opt to use ustedes for plural “you” communication.
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3. Vosotros is not widely taught.
Are you having trouble recalling learning this subject pronoun in all those Spanish classes from your younger years? Well, there’s a reason for that! Most Spanish teachers of English students may not be familiar with vosotros, and have just not taught it in the past.
These days, both native and non-native Spanish teachers are keen on teaching this pronoun due to globalized learning initiatives. But, don’t be surprised if skipping the vosotros pronoun in your conjugation sequence for all those years comes back to bite you when visiting Spain!
4. Vosotros is prevalent in Spain.
Vosotros is present in any context where 1) there is more than one person, and 2) the occasion is less formal. According to a Madrileña with whom I recently spoke, the usted/ustedes form would be appropriate when speaking in an entrevista (interview), con un jefe (with a boss), or in similar situations. Otherwise, the vosotros form rules the day in Spain.
Whether or not you have previous exposure and familiarity with vosotros, you’ll find that Spaniards are a patient, gracious people who are very willing to support others in their quest to learn Spanish. They may even help you along the way – even if, to their ears, you’re using ustedes all wrong!
When do you use the vosotros subject pronoun? Share your stories with us below!
This article was originally published on September 11, 2017, and then was edited for comprehensiveness on July 9, 2021.
Travelling to Spain? Learn Spanish from a qualified Spaniard in your city or online!