What it is: Register is how formal you are. The reader decides it: tú for friends, usted for officials and adults you don't know.
| Reader | Register | Greeting | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|
| a friend | tú | ¡Hola, Ana! | Un abrazo, |
| classmates (blog) | vosotros | ¡Hola a todos! | ¡Nos leemos! |
| head teacher, company | usted | Estimado/a señor/a: | Atentamente, |
| an audience | ustedes | Buenos días a todos. | Muchas gracias por su atención. |
- el registro
- register
- tutear
- to address someone as tú
- tratar de usted
- to address someone as usted
- el saludo
- greeting
- la despedida
- sign-off
- el tono
- tone
Remember: Choose once, then keep it: verbs, pronouns and possessives all follow the register.
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| Informal (tú) | Formal (usted) |
|---|---|
| ¡Hola, Marta! | Estimada señora López: |
| ¿Me puedes mandar la información? | ¿Podría enviarme la información? |
| Gracias por tu ayuda. | Le agradezco su ayuda. |
| Un abrazo, | Atentamente, |
Make it formal: ¿Tienes tiempo para hablar conmigo?
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- Answer it yourself first, then check.
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Do
- Match verb endings to usted.
- Use su, not tu, with usted.
- Keep greeting and closing in one register.
Don't
- Write Estimado and then puedes.
- Use slang like tío with adults.
- Sign a formal email with Besos.