Spanish Conversation · Level 21
90 words
Spanish word
vos
Pronunciation
IPA/bos/
Meaning
- pronounyou
Example
¿Vos querés un café?
Do you want a coffee?
More examples
¿Vos podés ayudarme con esto?
Are you able to help me with this?
Core concept
Singular familiar pronoun especially associated with Southern Cone voseo.
Common phrases
vos estás
you are doing
vos sos
you are
vos podés
you are able
Similar words
tú: Familiar singular you common in many regions that uses regular present-tense verb endings.
usted: Polite singular you for formal or respectful situations that uses formal verb forms.
ustedes: Second-person plural you addressing a group throughout most of Latin America in spoken contexts.
vosotros: Second-person plural you in Spain for informal group address that uses distinct plural endings.
Definition in Spanish
Forma de segunda persona del singular empleada en variedades con voseo para expresar familiaridad hacia una sola persona, con variaciones regionales en su uso y en las conjugaciones verbales.
Word origin
Originating from Latin vos, the form moved from a plural/honorific use to a singular familiar use in parts of Spanish America, leading to distinct conjugations tied to voseo.
Usage tips
- Present indicative with vos often uses alternate endings (for example, vos querés vs tú quieres and vos sos vs tú eres), so expecting tú forms can cause misunderstandings in voseo speech.