Learn to Use Voseo: Vos in Spanish

Vos is a pronoun frequently used in almost every Spanish-speaking country. The art of using vos instead of tú is known as voseo. 

According to the BBC, two thirds of the American continent use vos in Spanish. It’s a pronoun that transcends borders and has endured many centuries. 

In this blog post we will explain how to use vos, and you will learn about it through detailed and helpful examples.  

Vos in Spanish: What Does it Mean?

Vos in Spanish is mostly used in informal speech. 

Generally speaking, vos in Spanish means the “singular you”. Vos  is a second person singular pronoun just like usted and tú, so it cannot be used instead of a plural pronoun. 

Although it may not seem necessary at first, this variety of second person singular pronouns is actually pretty helpful. It is a way of choosing how you want to approach someone or be approached by them according to the context. 

Let’s take a look at some examples that use vos in a sentence:

Vos tenés que terminar tu tarea.
You have to finish your homework.

Vos sos mi mejor amigo.
You’re my best friend. 

Ya me inscribí en la clase de español, ¿y vos?
I already enrolled in the Spanish class, how about you?

¿Vos sabés dónde venden esos dulces?
Do you know where they sell those sweets?

Origin of Vos in Spanish

The use of vos became strong in Latin America when Spain brought the Spanish language in the 15th century. 

Vos originated  from an archaic form that was used to address Kings and other noble people as it showed respect and a high status. 

As Spanish continued to evolve in the Americas, the formal use of vos disappeared from common speech. 

In time, vos became a more casual pronoun and is now widely used in Spanish-speaking countries to refer to people you already have a close relationship with, or with whom you don’t feel the need to be too formal. 

You can still find vos in its formal form during special ceremony events or in classic literary works. A fantastic example you can review with the formal use of vos is the old Spanish poem known as El Cantar del mio Cid. 

Who Says Vos in Spanish

The way people use vos depends on the country. It’s not exactly slang but it’s a specific trait of a few regions.  

For instance, in Mexico people use the pronoun tú and its corresponding conjugation. Vos in Mexican Spanish is only used in the southern states of Tabasco and Chiapas in a social context.

In the case of Central America, the majority of countries use the pronoun vos. Its particular conjugation indicates informal scenarios and it is used when protocols are not necessary. 

In Guatemala, for example, you would only address a person using vos if you already know them and there’s trust between you two. Otherwise, it might be seen as disrespectful. 

South American countries like Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina use vos constantly. It’s common and widely accepted. 

Vos is actually a signature of these three South American countries as it allows you to recognize where these people are from once you engage in a casual conversation. 

Vos in Colombian Spanish is also used, but only in certain parts of the country. 

How to Use Vos in Spanish

Vos in Spanish is used according to the region and social context. 

Vos is generally informal and is interchangeable with the pronoun tú. It’s used to address close friends, family, peers, and even pets!

Voseo, Tuteo y Ustedeo

We are using voseo when we use the personal pronoun vos in our Spanish conversations. 

If we use tú instead, we are using túteo.  

Finally, the use of usted as the second person pronoun is known as ustedeo. 

Tú and vos in Spanish are used in informal contexts. The difference between tú and vos is actually minimal. You may use any of them to address someone familiar with whom there’s a certain level of confidence. 

Usted, on the other hand, is formal and indicates respect when used. Usted works when you’re addressing strangers, authorities, people you’re not that familiar with, elders, parents, or in-laws. 

Conjugating Vos in Spanish

The majority of Spanish tenses use the same verb conjugation for tú and for vos. 

There are three exceptions that stand out: the simple present, the imperative, and the subjunctive. 

Let’s take a look at both the regular and irregular verbs conjugations of these tenses using tú, usted, and vos in Spanish to highlight the difference. 

Present Tense Indicative and Past Tense Indicative

For regular verbs in Spanish that end with -ar, using the present indicative conjugation of vos requires you to drop the -ar and add -ás to the stem. The past indicative requires you to replace it with -bas.

Viajar (to travel)

Cantar (to sing)

Pagar (to pay)

Estar (to be)

For regular verbs ending with -er, the voseo present indicative conjugation requires you to drop the -er and add -és to the stem. The past indicative conjugation requires you to add -ías. 

Correr (to run)

Beber (to drink)

Leer (to drink)

Poder (can)

For regular verbs ending with -ir, the voseo present indicative conjugation requires you to drop the -ir and add -ís to the stem. The past indicative conjugation requires you to add -ías. 

Decir (to say)

Vivir (to live)

Sonreír (to smile)

Dormir (to sleep)

Notice how the voseo present indicative conjugation has a written accent on the last  syllable. Even though the spelling is pretty similar to the tú conjugation, the pronunciation requires you to stress that accented part. 

Let’s continue  with the present indicative conjugation. It’s Important to note that there are only three irregular verbs in this form. Here’s the list: 

Ir (to go)

Haber (to have)

Ser (to be)

As you can see, when using  these irregular verbs the forms for both vos and tú sound and look the same. Therefore, you can interchange both pronouns. 

Affirmative Imperatives

Remember the imperative form of a verb? That’s right! It is the one that communicates  commands, orders, or instructions. 

Consider the following rules when using it with tú, usted, and vos in Spanish. 

For -ar verbs drop the -ar and add -á to the stem for both tú and vos. 

Viajar (to travel)

Cantar (to sing)

Pagar (to pay)

Estar (to be)

For -er verbs drop the -er and add -é to the stem for vos.

Correr (to run)

Beber (to drink)

Leer (to drink)

Poder (can)

For -ir verbs drop the -ir and add -í to the stem for both tú and vos.

Decir (to say)

Vivir (to live)

Sonreír (to smile)

Dormir (to sleep)

Take into account that there are a few exceptions to the rules listed above. There’s no need to worry though! 

There are less  irregular forms to learn  in the voseo imperative than in the tuteo imperative. There’s also irregular verbs in tuteo that are not irregular in voseo. 

Let’s examine those next to each other. 

Salir (to go out)

Ser (to be)

Poner (to put)

Ir (to go)

Subjunctive

The subjunctive mood in Spanish is used to express a desire or a wish. 

In order to use voseo in this mood you have to use the pronoun vos with the tú conjugation of the verb. And remember to stress the last syllable!

Let’s take a look at a few verbs in the subjunctive mood using voseo.

Viajar (to travel)

Pagar (to pay)

Cantar (to sing)

Estar (to be)

Beber (to drink)

Correr (to run)

Poder (can)

Leer (to read)

Haber (to have)

Ser (to be)

Decir (to say)

Sonreir (to smile)

Vivir (to live)

Dormir (to sleep)

Ir (to go)

Did you know…

There is more than one subjunctive conjugation for the imperfect tense. Moreover, the accepted forms of voseo conjugation also work with tuteo. You can learn all about it in this post on how to Master the Imperfect Subjunctive. 

Voseo Ejemplos (Voseo Examples)

Me gusta salir contigo cuando vos pagás.
I like going out with you when it’s your treat. 

Prefería cuando vos estabas aquí. 
I liked it better when you were here. 

Necesitamos que vos vayás al súper.
We need you to go to the supermarket. 

Espero que vos hayás hecho la tarea.
I hope you did the assignment. 

Si vos vivieras en ese barrio sabrías lo divertido que es.
If you lived in that neighborhood you’d know how fun it is. 

Si querés, salí—a ver como te va.
If you want to, go out—see how it goes. 

Yo sé que vos podés ganar este examen.
I know you can pass this test. 

Vos Podes Empezar a Hablar Español Ahora

You can start speaking Spanish now! 

Sign up for a  FREE class with our certified teachers from Guatemala. They’re highly familiarized with the use of vos as a pronoun and are ready to take your Spanish abilities to the next level. 

Learning Spanish also allows you to travel smoothly to Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina and Guatemala. Venture to the countries where using vos is the norm and practice with the locals by engaging in meaningful conversations.

Ready to learn more Spanish grammar and vocabulary? Check these out!

• All About Adverbial Clauses in Spanish
• The Ultimate Guide to the Differences Between ‘Pero’ and ‘Sino’ in Spanish
• A Guide to Double Negatives in Spanish
• Ver Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDF
• Common Irregular Informal Commands in Spanish
• Dialect vs Accent: Is It a Language, Dialect, or Accent?
• How to Use the Past Participle as an Adjective in Spanish
• Punctuation Marks, Special Characters, and Other Symbols in Spanish

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Sofía Godoy

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Native speaker of English and Spanish, I’m a sustainable travel and social impact entrepreneur who loves going to new places and meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds. I love spending time with my family and being outdoors with my dogs. Writing, communicating, and creating are my passions. I strongly believe there are more creative ways to solve the issues our world is facing and I like doing my part in any way I can.

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