Is "A dónde va para (verb)" equal to "A dónde va usted para (verb)" ?

Question

hola amigos

I had a little question about "¿A dónde va usted para (verb)?" This appears in the end of a video (lesson 1.7) as the polite form.

Now I was just wondering if I want to be polite, I must say this or can I just say "¿A dónde va para (verb)?". Since we don't say "¿A dónde vas tú para (verb)?" neither right?

I just want to be sure.

thanks for help, S

Answer 1

I agree with Gfreed but would like to add that ¿A dónde vas ? does not need extra emphasis although it would not be necessarily wrong to give it This is because the verb form vas is already conjugated for tú ('you' familiar)

However, the phrase: ¿A dónde va ? could need further clarification since the 3rd person singular va could be translated as he, she or you (singular) therefore using Ud would help to clarify to whom you are referring, so avoiding ambiguity and confusion

So I would use: ¿A dónde va Ud ?

Answer 2

I see nothing wrong with either wording.

Keep in mind that including the subject pronoun can be a form of emphasis or to avoid ambiguity:

Where are you going?

¿Adónde vas tú?

I hope that your thread does not start another discussion on whether it is ¿Adónde? or ¿A dónde? Either is acceptable.

¡Bienvenido al Foro!

Welcome to the Forum.

Answer 3

Quentin,

to avoid ambiguity:

I am afraid you will never get out of that dunce corner! :p

We use the subject pronoun not to avoid ambiguity but for Emphasis!!!!!!!!!

Steve, you are quite right:

Dónde va? and Dónde va usted?

Same thing, and you should not use the subject pronoun, even though with usted we can think it is more polite, depends on the country.

Wasn't his point to include the usted to avoid ambiguity with él o ella??? - 0074b507, JUL 16, 2010

[él ] dijo eso, pero [ella] no lo creyó. Omit the ella and is there not ambiguity? - 0074b507, JUL 16, 2010

Answer 4

Ok thanks both of you for the quick respons