La palabra "usted"

La palabra "usted"
 

¿Durante un conversación formal entre dos personas, es necesario usar la palabra "usted"?

During a formal conversation between two people, is it necessary to use the word "usted"?

Si la conversación fuese estrictamente formal, supongamos dos altos cargos representantes de una empresa o dos jefes de estado, se precisaría forzosamente. Ahora bien, todo dependerá del grado de confianza existente y el factor regional: hay países "más" y "menos" formales sobre esta materia.

Si no conoce al receptor y éste tiene una edad semejante a la suya, use "usted". Después, por mutuo acuerdo o tácito inclusive, podrá trocarlo por el "tú".


Puede situar el signo de interrogación inicial en donde invertiría el orden inglés o al comienzo de la frase mientras acompañe el tono empleado.

I guess I didn't state the question clearly enough. What I really meant is, can you just leave out the word "usted"?

¿Cuantos años tiene?

vs

¿Cuantos años tiene usted?


Thanks for pointing out the question marks. I had not thought of that.

Yes, you can leave "usted" out. In Spanish, subject pronouns are only used in order to emphasize. Think of it as:

Trabajo cada día = I work every day.
Yo trabajo cada día = I work every day.
Yo sí trabajo cada día = I do work every day.

Repeating the subject sounds "egocentric". When speaking directly to another person, it's impossible to be misunderstood. If you want to express "more formality", use instead:

¿Cuál es su edad?

:thumbsup:

Welcome, tennyshoe, and I was taught that the personal pronoun is understood from the verb tense employed, and thus is redundant - unless one wishes to emphasize the personal nature of the question - so it may be something akin to How old are you? as contrasted with How old are you? (in comparison to someone else).
Nevertheless, I'd still put in usted for your example simply because that particular tense of the verb can be ambiguous [either you, he, she or it].
Now I'm no expert of course, but do hope that sheds some light on it!

I'm used to pronouns being left out. I don't remember usted being left out. That's why I was wondering. Good to know.


Gracias por sus respuestas.

As Glen said after me, it can sometimes be advisable to use "usted". For example, if you have previously been referring to a third person.

When I use to study Spanish in high school we would often leave usted out once we got the hang of verb conjugations.

That's good for practice, but sometimes we use pronouns to emphasize the person, to avoid ambiguity or to be more polite; preferences vary according to context and region sometimes.