Spanish in SA

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I cannot tell much about South America, since my only source are TV programs (from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Argentina), but I've never heard anyone there using "vosotros" in regular conversations.

It's definitely never used in Mexico (but then Mexico is not in South America).

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Vos isn't used in Spain or Mexico.

It is used in Spain, rarely, but it's not the same vos as used in Argentina. The voseo is a big subject: http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBu...seo&origen=RAE

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Vosotros is conversationally used only in Spain. It can be found in literary works (poems, prayers, the Bible, hymns), so if we read such things, or if we plan on visiting Spain, we need to be familiar with its use.
Your South American friends are most likely using vos when speaking to a friend (singular person) and ustedes when speaking to more than one person. I doubt they're using vosotros.
Vos isn't used in Spain or Mexico.

Ahhh, Rusty - you're right. I definitely heard "vos" used, but not "vosotros". BUT ... it was definitely used in the plural. The reason I made a mental note of it at one particular time was because one friend was talking to another about the 2nd person's whole family. She was saying something about wanting to see "y'all" soon. I can't remember the exact words, but she was definitely refering to the whole family and used "vos"....

[ookami]

"Vos" is like "Tú", maybe you heared something wrong. "Vosotros" is almost never used... I think I have never hearded it outside school and books.

maybe she said something like "los quiero ver a todos pronto/ya" and maybe you heared bad "los" as "vos" or something like that.

[laepelba]

Seriously, the one time it was written that way, and I double and triple checked. She wrote "vos" to a family of close friends. It occurred to me that it was different than I had been told, so that's why I checked it again. BUT, the bottom line here is that after reading and re-reading all of this discussion ... I WILL NOT use "vos" or "vosotros" in Latin America. Ever. Just to be safe.

[CrOtALiTo]

Exist people who use the word Vosotros and vos in Mexico, but normally it's sound very bad at least here in my country already that we should use the word Nosotros and tu, ustedes, ellos, ellas, eso, yo.

I believe that each person has his way very different to speak in anyplace.

[ookami]

laepelba, si lo encontraste escrito puede ser que tengas razón. 'Vos' originalmente es una abreviación de Vosotros, como "Nos", que leo muy amenudo (en libros traducidos o de español de antaño, pero no tan viejo) que sirve de abreviatura a Nosotros. Entonces pudo haber sido como dices.

Espero ver a vos muy pronto = Espero ver a vosotros muy pronto
Espero verte a vos muy pronto = Espero verte a ti muy pronto.

Fuera del uso escrito, dudo que llegues a escucharlo... ya escrito es rarisimo (nunca lo leí ni escuche, pero por analogía del 'Nos' no me suena raro tampoco). Además, no se confunde nunca con el "vos"(tú) porque el tiempo "vos"(vosotros) es plural.

Perdón por no darme cuenta antes, pero era necesario que digas que lo leíste :P

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by ookami

laepelba, si lo encontraste escrito puede ser que tengas razón. 'Vos' originalmente es una abreviación de Vosotros, como "Nos", que leo muy amenudo (en libros traducidos o de español de antaño, pero no tan viejo) que sirve de abreviatura a Nosotros. Entonces pudo haber sido como dices.

Espero ver a vos muy pronto = Espero ver a vosotros muy pronto
Espero verte a vos muy pronto = Espero verte a ti muy pronto.

Fuera del uso escrito, dudo que llegues a escucharlo... ya escrito es rarisimo (nunca lo leí ni escuche, pero por analogía del 'Nos' no me suena raro tampoco). Además, no se confunde nunca con el "vos"(tú) porque el tiempo "vos"(vosotros) es plural.

Perdón por no darme cuenta antes, pero era necesario que digas que lo leíste :P

Thanks for that great clarification, Ookami. That is very helpful! I'm still going to avoid using it ... written or otherwise.

[Villa]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Vosotros is conversationally used only in Spain. It can be found in literary works (poems, prayers, the Bible, hymns), so if we read such things, or if we plan on visiting Spain, we need to be familiar with its use.
Your South American friends are most likely using vos when speaking to a friend (singular person) and ustedes when speaking to more than one person. I doubt they're using vosotros.
Vos isn't used in Spain or Mexico.

Estoy de acuerdo con esto.

[Villa]

Originally Posted by JuanJuan

I am studying Spanish to be used in Ecuador. I was told that the verb conjugation "vosotros" was not used in South America. Is this correct?
Thanks in advance, JuanJuan

I get this in my e-mails. Hard to believe but this is what it says.
I don't work for them a proposito.

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