Voseo outside of Argentina

Question

I know that voseo is used very frequently in Argentina and Chile but I recently read an article stating that forms of it are also used in Central America and Colombia, which I found hard to believe.

Wikipedia:

The most common form for the second person singular in Central America is vos .

I have spoken to Guatemaltecos, Salvadoreños y Catrachos a handful of times and I never have noticed any of them using voseo. Also I listen to a radio station directed mostly towards Central Americans and I don't think I've ever heard voseo once!

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For those who have been there or are from there, how common is voseo and how come Central Americans don't seem to bring it to America?

Great question Dandi. I have recently been looking into the use of voseo (more in regards to its historical development), and I would likewise be interested what others say about its contemporary use. - Izanoni1, Dec 19, 2009

Thanks. I read a little bit about that too, it's interesting right? If you find any good links on the history of it, let us know! - 003487d6, Dec 19, 2009

I have a couple of books that make reference to it and a few notes, but I am not sure if I saved any of the links to any of the articles that I have read, but I will check. - Izanoni1, Dec 19, 2009

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101108175205AA1LHpI - Rey_Mysterio, Feb 13, 2013

Answer 1

I have spent time in Guatemala and El Salvador, and vos is used very very frequently among friends, in fact you will never hear close friends speaking in tu, couples sometimes but with dear friends very unlikely. Also, parents to their children almost exclusively vos, not as frequent vice verse (children to parents) Among guys you will NEVER hear tu, as it is seen as feminine, and a form of speaking [perceived to be] reserved for the gay community at large (however even among gays I'm sure vos is used just as frequently) If you were seen as a foreigner, or don't have close friends, and some formality was dropped then it's possible people spoke to you in tu. However to hear vos you need to have a close relationship, or if you're a guy and depending on your age most guys will speak to you in vos. But in short yes, vos is used very frequently in Central America, it's semantics do very slightly from country to country, but between Central and South America I think you'll find the biggest contrast.

Thanks very much. So would tú be used in an informal situation between people who are not really very close friends? - 003487d6, Dec 20, 2009

Yes, now I see that since you're a girl, ALL guys roughly your age will speak to you in TU, and probably most girls. Until you establish a real close friendship with a girl then you would use VOS, with a guy it would be more difficult. - Danieljoseph, Dec 20, 2009

Oh wow very interesting. Thanks. Now I understand why I have never been vos-ed and why I don't hear it on the radio. - 003487d6, Dec 20, 2009

Very interesting response Daniel...Thank you for sharing your experiences on such an interesting topic - Izanoni1, Dec 20, 2009

Answer 2

Hi Dandi,

You might find these articles interesting: Use of Voseo outside of Argentina

El voseo en la Historia y en la lengua de hoy

A discussion on the distribution of voseo

Answer 3

Hola:

En Colombia es muy usado, especialmente por los vallunos y los de la zona pacífica. Yo soy de Cali y es lo que más uso...

Answer 4

Hi Dandi,

This article probably more directly addresses your question. The author is from Honduras: La distribución del voseo en Hispanoamerica

Me interesa mucho eso. Gracias por tus enlaces Izanoni1!! - 003487d6, Dec 19, 2009

Answer 5

It is used in Guatemala but not as much as in Spain and Argentina.

Spain is strictly tuteo. You´re thinking of vosotros. the plural informal of tú - BellaMargarita, Dec 23, 2010

Answer 6

Hello,

I don't know what are you talking about. I've been in Guatemala for almost two months and I haven't heard even once the phrase 'vos', only 'tu' , no matter who I was speaking to or heard speaking, and I travelled around most of the country.

Answer 7

My roommate spent some time in Nicaragua, and says it's almost exclusively Vos. I have had Guatemalan friends that have told me that they use vos, and that tu is something they learn in Spanish class at school in literature and such, but then almost never use. It's true that they use the voseo in Chile, but it's different than what they use in Argentina or Central America.

Please don't tell me it's a whole different conjugation!! - PeterRS, Feb 13, 2013

Answer 8

voseo command Yes it is used in Central and South America