Knowing when and where to use the informal Spanish is subtle. For example, our best friends in Mexico are David and Teresa… my wife talks to Teresa in informal Spanish, but she address Teresa’s husband David in formal Spanish.
Reason: She doesn’t want to be so presumptuous as to speak casually to
the husband of una amiga.
Yet, with our other friends Millie and Juan José, Elena speaks casually to them both.
Reason: Juan José is about 10 years younger than David and closer to Elena’s age. As he’s closer to Elena’s age, (Actually, he’s about 5 years younger than Elena, but don’t tell her I told you) she feels OK speaking to the husband of una amiga informally.
There’s no hard and fast rule as to where and when to use informal Spanish. It will vary from family to family, region to region and from situation to situation.
Teresa is a cleaner; she came from a very poor family in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. She started work at 9 years old picking vegetables in the fields. Millie’s husband is from a wealthy family, he trained as a doctor and then did years of specialty training in Cuba in sports medicine.
Yet, Millie and Juan José are the more casual couple; Teresa and David are the more polite and respectful. Income or social status is no indication of how people will speak.
Here are the rules I use…
I speak to children informally
I speak to people my age or younger informally if it’s a social situation
I speak to older people formally.
Everyone else, I listen to how they speak to me. If they speak to me informally, I do the same. If they speak to me formally, I also do the same unless they are very young.
I have made some free informal Spanish audio lessons available…
They are an add-on to Synergy Spanish, however as long as you know the basics of Spanish you’ll be able to start practicing using the informal form.
Click here for the FREE informal Spanish lessons
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Muy bien – es necesario de repetir cada día lo que he aprendido.
Gracias por ayudarme.
What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It positively helpful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & help other users like its helped me. Good job. deakeefcdake
Hi Both of you
I have started 9 lessons and informal have done two….I am enjoying them . Sometimes I am quite tired. and sometimes the longer sentences I need to repeat. I will probably repeat the whole lot at some point as I have no one here who speak Spanish. My aim is to have a lot under my belt before a trip on May 2nd…Oh MY.!
For me it is not difficult to understand because in German and in French we need to speak “formally” often with people we do not know personally.
Thank you so much for your free lessons! Beatrice
I would like you to send me a list of tapes available for beginners.
I love the way you teach.
Thanks
I am enjoying your approach to the teaching-learning of Spanish
I enjoy and appreciate your tweets of the free lessons, however I am seriously spoiled by your videos and look forward to completing them so that I can move forward to the next level.
Marcus , hola
Gracias, voy a hablar español pronto,
Hola Senor Santamaria
I want to thank you for your blogs which i find witty and informative,I also wish that you and
your family have a Nollaig shona agus bliain nua sasta
Sean o Maonaigh
Hi Marcus,
Excellent work, loved the audio lesson, but a video with the words would be ten out of ten.
Thanks.
Di
thank you very much for your great help please help me that how can I make sentences in Spanish
This is the best place to start making Spanish sentences.
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/simplicity-for-spanish-success/
Buenos dias Marcus,
Gracias por el dos leccion en espanol audio. 🙂
People don’t mock my construction.
Is there a course beyond basic 1 and 2 with additional grammar. I am at the intermediate level. Tks
This page tells you about our levels.
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/step-by-step-spanish/
yes it was short and sweet
bonjour MARCUS ;
My husban and i love your way of teaching spanish; it will be very nice to be able to speak with the Cubains and the Mexicains in florida ( 6month) during the winther,,WE are french canadien; and i like to know if you have the same course but ,,, french to spanish.. So far we are doing very well tank you
Bonjour
Sorry I only have English to Spanish at the moment.
I’m really making great strides toward my spanish speaking goals thanks to your program!
hola marcus,
thank u so much , i had learn basic spanish word through
your synergy spanish lessons. thanks for the giudelines.
Best Wishes and more power.
gracias,
margelin from singapore
Marcus’
Just a note to let you know that Bola de Nieve is fantastic. Can’t wait for the next module. Can you tell us how many modules you have planned? At what rate do you plan to release them?
Thanks again for another great program.
I’m a trusting old soul as far as your lesson’s go!!! ANYTHING you have to improve my Spanish I’m FOR!! So put me down for anything you have to offer!!!
Steve Ayala
Marcus this is really useful, I live in Spain and would follow your example very closely. Good to know I’m on the right track!
As always, thank you for being such a good ‘connection’ to the heart and soul of the Spanish language, making us feel a part of it, even if we are only just starting out on the journey.
Best wishes
Jennifer
hola marcus
I did not know one word of spanish untill I read your synergy spanish lessons
1 and 2. To me thay are brillant.
Can”t wait till next ones come out, Please let me Know soon as thay do.
keep up good work, I think you are helping alot of people.
Best of luck mate.
Gracias,
Paul from England
Hola Marcus,
When is the Bola de Nueve going to be available. Please let me know asap…I would like to order it. Please guide me as well on how to order it. – I love your spanish course. Good luck in doing more.
Gracias,
Ria
I was recently told by a friend who had lived and travelled in Mexico that the formal “usted” is not really appreciated because people are a bit offended by the non-friendliness of the term. The Mexican people seem to prefer a more casual conversation even during initial meetings. Can you comment on this?
Bill
Hello I have bought your program and it has certainly help tremendously. I was wondering if you would have something like this for other tenses and direct and in direct pronouns? I like your patient way of teaching, I’ve seen on other but it more memorization the teaching.
Thanks,
Michael
I am a landlord and I have hispanic tenants. When I speak to them, I speak informally but not sure if this is correct. I am older than they are and “la duena de la casa” so perhaps I should address them formally. What would you suggest?