Consigo

[mmitterer]

Saludos,

I have a question about consigo. Is it correct to use consigo and not con Ud.? I have heard both and I have seen grammar books have different answers. Which is the correct form or are there regional variations? I know that consigo is correct with the other third person forms. Just wondering about Ud. Gracias de antemano.

Mary Ellen

[irmamar]

Consigo is a tonic pronoun (like conmigo and contigo), but with a different characteristic of those in brackets, that is, it is used as reflexive.

Those forms are used when the preposition that is before the pronoun is "con":

con + mí = conmigo => Tú hablas conmigo.

con + ti = contigo => Yo hablo contigo.

con + si = consigo => Él habla consigo mismo. Usted habla consigo mismo.

I hope it helps.

[aleCcowaN]

Welcome to the forums, Mary Ellen!

It's difficult to me thinking in an example using "consigo" and "usted" because you have to be talking directly to the fellow (addressing the person as "usted") and some reflexive action implying the preposition "con" must be happening. I think I would use "con Ud." instead, because in Argentina we don't use "contigo" and in the third person there are frequent instances of ambiguity that invite to use "con él, con ella, con usted, con ellos, con ellas, con ustedes". I would use it eventually when I include "usted" in the sentence, for instance, "¿Lleva usted el dinero consigo?", but that's way too formal. Nevertheless, there are many instances in literature when pronoun "usted" is specifically pronounced

"¡Ah!, se me pasaba el recomendar a usted que no traiga consigo alhaja alguna, ni dinero ni cosa que lo valga, porque dirían que yo... "

"Contigo pan y cebolla", Manuel Eduardo de Gorostiza, 1833, México.

"En fin, don Manuel, si se digna usted llevarme consigo a Madrid, vámonos cuanto antes."

"La de los tristes destinos", Benito Pérez Galdós, 1907, España

"- Pero -prosiguió mi interlocutor- también se rumora que ese personal no se ha picureado. Piensan que usted lo llevó consigo a no sé qué punto. "

"La vorágine", José Eustasio Rivera, 1924, Colombia

As already pointed by Irmamar, it's common to use "consigo mismo" in an "usted" context. Also, there is the fixed expression "(usted, él, ella) no las tiene todas consigo".

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

To me this is natural, but it could be a wrong use from some who think we speak proper Spanish, so I will let someone else correct it if I'm wrong:
Most speakers I know usually almost never "consigo" with "usted", but some people who care about proper written language, would use it when the activity "usted" performs involves only him/herself...

- ¿Así que usted está muy complacido consigo mismo?
So you're very pleased with yourself?

- Llévese los documentos consigo, para entregárselos mañana al jefe.
Take the documents with you to hand them in to the boss.

- ¿Trae el dinero consigo?
Are you bringing the money with you?


When there is another person involved, we use "con usted":

- No quiero hablar con usted.
I don't want to talk to you.

- Lléveme con usted a la nueva empresa.
Take me with you to the new firm.

- Traiga a sus hijos con usted para que jueguen con los míos.
Bring your children with you so they'll play with mine.