Why when being respectful do we say “¿Es usted Panameño?” And not “¿Eres usted Panameño?”

Question

Addressing a person formally in Spanish it is confusing because it's as if you are not speaking directly to them... pronouns are third-person... why is this the case, and how can I remember when to use "es" versus "eres"?

Answer 1

I understand your confusion, because the verb form for the second person formal pronoun "usted" is identical to the third person singular form (él/ ella). However, the fact that the verb form is the same does not mean you are not addressing the person directly in saying "¿Es Ud. panameño?". The pronoun "usted" may or may not be expressed explicitly, but it is understood.

Typically the subject pronoun "usted" is expressed more frequently than the other pronouns, precisely because the verb form is ambiguous. If you were to say "¿Es panameño?" rather than "¿Es usted panameño?" it might cause confusion, unless it were very clear in the context that you were speaking directly to the person in a formal register.

Answer 2

When using the language pay attention to the context. Spanish can be confusing, especially since it often involves using third-person pronouns. This formality reflects respect and politeness in the language. In Spanish, formal indicates using the third-person singular (usted) instead of the second-person singular (tú). This distinction helps convey a level of respect, especially in professional or unfamiliar settings.

Regarding “es” versus “eres,” the difference lies in the formality and context:

Using the verb ser =to be could be confusing if you do not have clear the context.

Eres is the second-person singular form of the verb ser (to be) used with tú and is informal. You would use “eres” when talking to friends, family, or people your age or younger.

Es is the third-person singular form used with usted and is more formal. You would use “es” when addressing someone respectfully or in a professional context.

Answer 3

In Spanish, the choice between using "eres" and "es" relates to the level of formality and respect you wish to convey in your communication.

1. Eres: This is the second-person singular form of the verb "ser" (to be) used in the informal context (tú form). It's typically used with friends, family, or people of the same age group. For example, "¿Eres Panameño?" would imply a casual or familiar relationship.
2. Es: This is the third-person singular form used in the formal context (usted form). It is used to show respect, particularly when addressing someone older, in a professional setting, or someone you do not know well. Thus, "¿Es usted Panameño?" is the more respectful way to ask if someone is Panamanian, emphasizing politeness and formality.

Answer 4

The reason for using third person is because when speaking in the formal, different grammatical rules apply.

In English "are you... are they..." works for both singular and plural people, but when applying to a non-person, it changes to "is it...". Inanimate objects are not included in the conversation, so they as well as animals, use a different rule.

Since Spanish is a gendered language, this does not apply. But English no longer has a formal form to address a person, making it difficult for English speakers to understand the concept in Spanish.

It is easy to think of this in the terms of someone being so far above you in status that you cannot address them directly, so you use a "third person" approach ("is he... es el... es usted...?").

A waiter can as a patron directly but address him in third person: "El señor quiere vino?" or "Usted quiere vino?" instead of directly addressing them: "Quieres vino?". It's like the patron is so high above the waiter that the waiter must speak to the wind rather than directly to the patron.

A good example of this is a subject with a king: "Does his majesty agree?" "If it please your honor?"

It's kind of like you are not even in their presence.