Voseo is the use of the second person singular subject pronoun vos instead of the pronoun tú to mean “you.” Vos is used the same way as tú to address a “you” that is informal, such as a family member, peer, friend, child, or pet.
audio (6).mp3The pronoun vos is especially common in Argentina and Uruguay, but it is also used in other parts of Central and South America. In Argentina, it is very important to know how to use vos, as it has now become the pronoun that is used to mean “you” in all contexts, regardless of whether the situation is formal or informal.
The subject pronoun vos is used with all verb tenses. The present and imperative verb forms (and sometimes the present subjunctive) have special vos forms that are different from the tú forms. The imperative form is a verb form used to issue commands; it is not used for statements or questions. All other tenses, such as the past tense, use identical verb forms for tú and vos; the tú verb form is simply combined with the pronoun vos.
If speakers who use vos hear other speakers using vos, it creates a bond of shared cultural identity because it is not a form that is commonly seen in a textbook or used in educational Spanish.
It is rare to hear vos used in these countries:
In South America:
So, how do you create the vos verb forms? For regular verbs, the present tense form for vos is formed by changing the r at the end of the infinitive to s and adding an accent mark over the final vowel to show the stress on the last syllable.
The imperative (command) form for vos is created by simply dropping the r at the of the infinitive and then adding an accent mark to show the stress on the last syllable.
Look at the examples of present tense and imperative vos forms in the following chart.
| Verb (Infinitive) | Present vos Form | Imperative vos Form |
|---|---|---|
|
audio (4).mp3
| ||
| salir | salís | salí |
| venir | venís | vení |
| mirar | mirás | mirá |
| comer | comés | comé |
| tener | tenés | tené |
| decir | decís | decí |
The only verbs that have irregular vos forms are ser, ir, and haber. Note that there is no imperative vos form for the verb ir. Instead, the closely related verb andar (to walk / to go) is used when forming the command.
| Verb (Infinitive) | Present vos Form | Imperative vos Form |
|---|---|---|
|
audio (5).mp3
| ||
| ser | sos | sé |
| ir | vas | andá (from the synonym verb andar) |
| haber | has | no imperative form |
Watch the video to practice an informal conversation using the vos forms that you learned from this lesson.
[THEME MUSIC] Now, let's use the "vos" form in an informal conversation between myself and my colleague Fernanda. Pay attention to the subject pronoun "vos" as it is used, regardless of the tense. The present tense and imperative commands also have special vos forms that are different from the tú forms, and sometimes the present subjunctive as well.
Once you've listened to and watched the conversation, you'll take on the role of my colleague and respond to me.
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
Now, you will take on the role of the other person in this dialogue and respond to me in Spanish. The words will populate on the screen in the same way they did when Fernanda was speaking, but you'll no longer hear her voice until after you have spoken. Let's start.
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
[CREDITS THEME]
