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Tu and tu, usted and su

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les
August 03, 2009, 02:47 PM
Hola,
Me llamo Leslie. Quick question:
Don't you have to use a matching possessive to the subjective pronoun.

example: Tu tienes que llamar tu medico.

or Usted tiene que llamar su medico.

one cannot mix the two up...correct?

as in this incorrect sentence: Tu tienes que llamar su medico.


Gracias,

Les

Elizabeth
August 03, 2009, 02:49 PM
Bienvenidas Leslie! I'm new too. I believe you are correct that they have to match up. :)

Rusty
August 03, 2009, 02:52 PM
Welcome to the forums, Les.

You're right. They have to match in the samples you gave.

The subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending conveys the person very well, except in the 3rd person.

Tienes que llamar tu médico. (omitted the redundant subject pronoun and added an accent (use drop-down 'Accents' menu to find those special characters))
Usted tiene que llamar su médico. (can't omit the subject pronoun, unless it's known, because the verb ending is also used for él and ella)

Jessica
August 03, 2009, 04:03 PM
welcome, les :)

Tomisimo
August 03, 2009, 04:25 PM
I also would have added the personal "a". "a tu médico".

Welcome! :)

CrOtALiTo
August 03, 2009, 05:24 PM
Hello les.

I bid you welcome to this forums, I hope your stay in the forums, it'll be enjoyable.

Now I'm to vacations and well at most not I've not internet connection for now. Therefore I'm able to help you or give you support, but when I'm come back to my house, really I believe to have time for help you in the that you need above Spanish.


A while get funny with my partners hosted in the forums.


Bye.

EmpanadaRica
August 03, 2009, 05:32 PM
Welcome to the forums Leslie! :) Hope you'll have fun here!

Welcome to the forums, Les.

You're right. They have to match in the samples you gave.

The subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending conveys the person very well, except in the 3rd person.



I'm probably digressing a bit from the intention of the question (sorry..) but I suppose it's not impossible to say:

'Tienes que llamar a su medico'

Is it? This would mean ' You have to call his/her doctor' ?
Or would you have to furher specify whether it is his/her?

Rusty
August 03, 2009, 07:41 PM
...I suppose it's not impossible to say:

'Tienes que llamar a su medico'

Is it? This would mean ' You have to call his/her doctor' ?
Or would you have to furher specify whether it is his/her?You can say this, but only if there's no ambiguity in the mind of the listener. If that's possible, then you would need to clarify:
al médico de él/ella

EmpanadaRica
August 03, 2009, 08:06 PM
You can say this, but only if there's no ambiguity in the mind of the listener. If that's possible, then you would need to clarify:
al médico de él/ella

Ok! Thanx! :) :thumbsup:

irmamar
August 04, 2009, 03:54 AM
Welcome, Les! :)

I agree with everything :). But I'd like to add that it's possible to say:

Tienes que llamar al médico.
Tiene que llamar al médico.

And these sentences are more usual than the formers (tu médico / su médico, they aren't very common).