Polite Expressions in Spanish: How to Be Polite in Spanish

Learning polite expressions in Spanish is important for anyone that wants to live or travel in a Spanish-speaking country. Spanish speakers are naturally friendly and welcoming, but it’s always a good idea to use courtesy when addressing people that you aren’t familiar with. To help you always stand out as a respectful person, I’ve created this guide with polite vocabulary in Spanish. I’ll show you how to use the polite form of “you,” common polite phrases, and see examples of how to use them. 

Usted & Ustedes: The Polite “You”

When learning Spanish basics, tú is taught as the translation of “you.” However, there are other Spanish pronouns that also mean “you,” but are used in different contexts. Usted is the pronoun to use when you’re addressing someone in a formal context. This includes your boss, someone who is older than you, and, in some countries, strangers and other people you aren’t familiar with.

In some countries, like Colombia, Venezuela, and many Central American countries, using usted is the most common way to address someone you don’t know. Using tú when you’re not friends with a Spanish speaker can be considered impolite and even rude.

Usted is neutral and can be used to address someone of any gender.  But it’s more than just a difference in pronouns. Usted doesn’t use the same conjugation as tú. Instead, it’s conjugated in the same form as él/ella (he/she).

There is also a different pronoun in Spanish for the plural “you.” Ustedes is used to address a group of two or more people regardless of gender. It’s conjugated in the same form as ellas/ellos (they). Let’s see some examples of how we can use usted and ustedes in a sentence:

• Ustedes son los padres de Eduardo. / You are Eduardo’s parents.
• Usted es el dueño del restaurante. / You are the owner of the restaurant.
• Ustedes son las organizadoras de la fiesta. / You are the party organizers.
• Usted es la bailarina principal. / You are the main dancer.

Polite Spanish Phrases for Everyday Life

Let’s start with some basic polite phrases . These phrases and expressions will come in handy in everyday situations no matter who you’re talking with. Even if you’re just learning the basics of Spanish for travel, knowing how to say “please” and “thank you” will go a long way of showing respect and making a good impression. Let’s take a look:

And, here are some scenarios where you can use them:

• When someone asks you if you would help them with something later, you can say, “Por supuesto.”
• When someone offers their help, but you want to make sure you’re not causing inconvenience, you can say, “Si no es mucha molestia.”
• When someone is struggling with something, and you want to help them, you can say, “Permítame.”
• When someone asks you if you can help them with something you’re skilled at, you can say, “Será un placer.”
• When someone says it was nice to meet you and you feel the same, you can say, “Igualmente.”

Polite Spanish Phrases for Meeting People

The best way to make sure you’re being polite when you meet a Spanish speaker is to start by greeting them. For example, saying “¿Cómo está?” when you greet someone is a typical greeting that will work in any context. Below, I’ll teach you other Spanish expressions of courtesy you can use when meeting someone new or introducing yourself.

And, here are some common combinations for these phrases and their literal translations:

• Buenas tardes, ¿cómo esta usted? / Good evening, how are you?
• Buenos días, ¿podría decirme su nombre? / Good morning, could you tell me your name?
• Buenas noches, permítame presentarme. / Good evening, allow me to introduce myself.
• Mucho gusto. Encantado de conocerte. / Nice to meet you. It’s a pleasure.
• Mucho gusto. Permítame presentarme. / Nice to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself.

To learn how to use these introduction phrases in context, listen to episode 3 of our beginner Spanish podcast.

Polite Spanish Phrases for Making Requests

Just like when we’re addressing people in normal settings, you’ll need to phrase your sentences to sound polite when you’re asking for something. First, you must remember that you must use the “usted” and “ustedes” verb forms instead of the “tú” conjugations for Spanish verbs. The indicative conditional conjugation for the verbs “poder” (podría) and “gustar” (gustaría), and the imperfect subjunctive form of “querer” (quisiera) also come in handy when we create polite questions in Spanish.

For example, here are some Spanish phrases you can use to politely make requests:

Note that many of these phrases have translations that include “could,” “would,” or “may” which makes them easy to spot. Here are some examples of how to use them:

• Buenas tardes, ¿cómo puedo ayudarle? / Good afternoon, how can I help you?
• Me gustaría pedir un plato de spaghetti. / I would like to order a dish of spaghetti.
• Quisiera pedir un taxi. / I would like to order a taxi.
• ¿De casualidad sabe dónde puedo encontrar un teléfono? / Would you happen to know where I can find a phone?
• ¿Podría alcanzarme un bolígrafo, por favor? / Could you hand me a pen, please?
• ¿Podría decirme cuál es el número del hotel, por favor? / Could you tell me what is the hotel’s phone number, please?
• ¿Podría ayudarme a mover esta maleta, por favor? / Could you please help me move this suitcase?

Learn Spanish with Langoly!

The best way to practice being polite in Spanish is by speaking and listening to native speakers. But, if you don’t live somewhere where Spanish is spoken, there are also other ways to practice. For example, many Spanish apps can teach you pronunciation vocabulary to express gratitude in Spanish. With Spanish books, you’ll learn the correct way to build sentences and verb conjugation. You can also watch YouTube videos to listen to native Spanish speakers from the comfort of your home. Or, if you want to study while you’re on the go, Spanish podcasts can easily develop your listening and pronunciation skills.

But, if you’d rather follow a structured lesson plan, an online course is a great option. We created the Siempre Spanish course to teach you to speak Spanish naturally. You learn to use the language in different daily scenarios with interactive activities and master essential pronunciation with the help of native speakers. Forget about memorizing random phrases and become conversational quickly!