Beginning Spanish ¡Empecemos por aquí!

Module A: Introduction to “La clase de español”  • 17 Lengua 1.2: Subject pronouns and the verb to be Subject pronouns are words that identify the person who does the action of a verb. I Yo You (sing., informal) Tú She Ella He Él You (sing., formal) Usted We (feminine) Nosotras We (masculine or mixed) Nosotros They (feminine) Ellas They (masculine or mixed) Ellos You all (pl.) Ustedes Usted and tú are both used when addressing one person and can be used differently in different geo- graphic areas. Generally, you should use usted in more formal situations, such as with people you have not met before or who are in a position of authority. Using usted can add an element of respect, but it can also add a kind of distance. Use tú with friends and people who are much younger than you. It is a good idea to use usted with new acquaintances until they say something like “Háblame de tú,” inviting you to use the less formal address. For practice, use usted when addressing your professor and perhaps also with older students. Use tú with the rest of your classmates. There is also the pronoun vos used in several parts of Latin America, which is equivalent to tú , and the pronoun vosotros used in Spain, which is equivalent to the ustedes pronoun used in Latin America. The verb to be Verbs in Spanish have different forms depending on who the subject is, and changing the verb’s form to match its subject is called conjugation. Conjugation occurs in English as well, such as in “We run ” and “She runs .” Most verbs in Spanish follow a very regular conjugation pattern, but the most common verb, ser (to be), does not. The unconjugated form of a verb is called the infinitive. Ser (to be) Yo soy Tú eres Ella, él, usted es Nosotras, nosotros somos Ellas, ellos, ustedes son