Spanish language Q&A Forum

Que Onda

This is one of the nuances of usted that I still haven't quite figured out. At my retail job, I often assist Spanish-speaking customers. However, I am not sure if these situations warrant using more formal language. In English, I address my customers politely with "Sir" or "Ma'am" but the language I use otherwise as I'm assisting them is more informal. I want to maintain the same tone of politeness yet casualness in Spanish as English but I don't know if it comes across as too formal. For context, I am in my early twenties and the customers I've spoken to are almost always older than me ranging from their thirties to more elderly people. Obviously, for my older customers, I would use usted but would it be necessary to use usted for people who are not that much older than me? I don't know if there is anybody here who can shed some light on this topic. In Spanish-speaking countries do retail employees typically address their customers with more formal, usted language?

Thank You

Nathan

I do not have to water them often,

Kwizbot           no debo regarlas
You                  no necesito darlas agua

I’d like to know if my reply  is good /correct Spanish or is it not the way this would usually be said.  (I don't mean whether it would  be understood, but is this the only way to say this, or can it be said other ways?)

Hope you had a muy Feliz Navidad and wishing you a wonderful New Year! 

Thanks you.  

Nicole

Would she be “la juez”?  Thanks.

The question for this section was

Mr. Hernandez, would you like another glass of wine?

would you (formal) like = le gustaría

But then it asks to conjugate "querer" in El Presente. If this is so, then shouldn't the question be 

Mr. Hernandez, do you want another glass of wine?

The answer for the blank was "quiere".

Hi teachers, 

(I know there are other lessons on this, which I've done, but I'm still confused) - Following on from Melissa's question below and using the same example for clarity; 

The relative pronoun 'el/la que' doesn't appear in this lesson, 

what would be the difference then, if we said 'El director del colegio, EL QUE trabaja duro, es respetado por todos?' 

I've always understood el/la que to mean 'THE ONE who/which', so I would think using 'el que' would imply there are two headteachers, one who works hard and is respected, and one who doesn't. 

But in a grammar book I have, it gives the example; 'Esta autora, que/quien/la cual/LA QUE vive en Brasil, va a visitar nuestra ciudad', (This author, WHO lives in Brasil...)

Please help me to understand. Thanks. 

How would I say someone else is doing something to another person and not themselves? Like if my mom is a hair stylist and she's combing someone else's hair.  Like in "Mi madre se peina el pelo con un cepillo nuevo." Would I need to put something like "el pelo de la mujer" or with the personal a like "el pelo a la mujer" 

Could it ever be correct to say "Compré un nuevo ordenador nuevo" to express that it was both new to me and brand new? If not, how would you express that. This can be confusing in English as well.

In this item:  "Era recomendable que fuéramos juntos a la excursión" why is "fuéramos" and not "vayamos" used for the translation "It was recommended that we go together on the trip."?

Ojalá tuviera dos cerebros para recordar todos los usos, ja ja ja. ¡Qué verbo tan útil! Aunque tiene tantas connotaciones, es fantástico.

Gracias y saludos :)

Hola Inma,

Would it be possible to translate "What more could I ask for?" as "¿Para lo que más podría pedir? 

Gracias y saludo. John