lesson 3.3 "Quieres....señora?"

Question

Lesson 3.3, "watch", time 6:45. Phrase: "Quieres un té helado, señora?" I don't know if there is really a mistake, but I think that the waiter should use 3rd person singular referring to somebody as "señora". Is "tu" form right in this case?

• the same video, 8:02 "Será bien conocido..." it's future, right? We haven't learnt it yet. - Maciek071 Sep 8, 2009
• Yes, it's future tense, but remember that the Spanish future tense isn't exactly like the English future tense. - qfreed Sep 8, 2009

Answer 1

Thanks for the answer. I meant, that the waiter should rather ask "¿Quiere un té helado, señora?" Again in the same video, at 8:59 the waiter says: "Soy su camarero, Jaime. ¿Quieres ...?" It sounds strange for me: if "su camarero" - then "¿Quiere...?", or "tu camarero" - and "¿Quieres..." Or maybe indeed it depends on where the situation takes place: hotel Ritz in Madrid or beach bar somewhere in Panama

Answer 2

I doubt that she would have slapped his face for being impertinent, but I assume that you are referring to the fact that he referred to her as "señora" rather than "Señora Smith" meaning that they are strangers. Remember that the formal/informal usage varies regionally. In some countries, the formal tone is reserved for use with people in high government offices, judges, etc. It wouldn't be considered presumptous to address a stranger informally.

Answer 3

I suppose that I shouldn't respond in a comment.

Yes, you are entirely correct. If he had previously been using the formal tone using su rather than tu, then he should not switch and mix the informal with the formal. It's one or the other, but not both when addressing the same individual.

Answer 4

Thank you, Marcielea. I am going through the lessons right now to correct the errors. I will remove the S from "quieres" so it is more consistent in the Usted form as it was an error on my part to mix them up.

But I do agree with Quentin in that in several of the places I have been, waiters and waitresses have called me señora because they don't know my name, but then addressed me in the tú from to be friendly or simply just to differentiate me from the others at the table. It could get a little confusing taking orders when the 3rd person singular form can mean usted, he, or she.

Answer 5

Very nice post, Maciela, we appreciate this a lot.