Comments on: ¿Mande Usted? The Formal and Informal You

By: Ahmed A. muthleb

Ahmed A. muthleb — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 22:42:41 +0000

Mandé is often mándeme. ( Order me. ) Jovita! Mándeme maná.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 11:23:25 +0000

In reply to Alex. Americans also use “Cheap” to mean “Inexpensive”.

By: Carla Hughett

Carla Hughett — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 19:41:25 +0000

In the Dominican Republic, where I got most of my facility in conversational Spanish, they seem more informal–but it’s hard to tell, because they also drop the final “s”. And the local men are much more forward about trying to get the gringas into bed, so it matters. A Peace Corps volunteer suggested sticking the word “usted” in everywhere, in the hope that the hombres get a bit of a clue that you would prefer to keep your distance.
Still working on Mexican Spanish, but appreciating that the guys are much more polite in this regard.

By: Edith Muñoz

Edith Muñoz — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 10:43:56 +0000

In reply to Alex. Dude I just imagined you saying it in a British accent ?

By: ken

ken — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 18:01:11 +0000

I often find myself changing from tu to usted (or vice-versa) depending on subject matter or even the direction of a single conversation.

By: ken

ken — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 17:55:46 +0000

Tone of voice and inflection play a big part in how “mande” is perceived by the receiver, at least where I live in south-western Mexico.

By: juana

juana — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 10:44:04 +0000

In reply to jan.

I totally agree. But I think that whatever word we use I think most people understand and appreciate that we’re speaking a language that is not out native tongue. And whether we use “mande”, “como” or even “que” that we’re doing the best we can.

By: Miriam

Miriam — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 05:48:16 +0000

The term “mande” or “mande usted” is not used now as often as it was before and it is not to be thought of as offensive, but rather that the listener is paying attention and ready to assist you; as it has been said, Mexican Spanish can be extremely polite.
You can use other words, like “dime / diga”, “perdón?” (pardon?), “qué?” or even the expression “eu?”.

By: jan

jan — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 02:45:23 +0000

Mande seems a little bit harsh to me too but I’m not offended by it. I understand what it means. My Mexican friends have taught me to use ¿cómo? which I like. A little gentler to me than mande and not rude like qúe.

By: Terry

Terry — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:52:30 +0000

My abogada, in Playa del Carmen, insists that ¿mande? is more polite then ¿Que?

By: joe

joe — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:46:38 +0000

In Bogotá they use “su merced” sometimes instead of usted.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:22:50 +0000

There are some areas of England (e.g. Yorkshire, Cumbria, parts of the Midlands) where “thou” is still used as an informal “you” in colloquial apeech. As for being offended by the usage of another country, I don’t think the Colombian student should feel any more offended by the Mexican “mande” than an American should by the British “cheap” to mean “inexpensive”. When in Rome, etc. etc.