Podría o Puede? .... o los dos!

Question

Hola!

Entonces...a la escuela, la profesora (hipotética) dice: ¿Podría hablar más despacio, por favor?

Pero....

Mis amigos dicen: !Buey! (jajajajaja) ¿Puedes hablar más lento, por favor?

Yo sé, uno es mas formal que la otra, PERO, ¿se dice puede(s), podría, o los dos!

Muchas Gracias, amigas.

Answer 1

¿Podría hablar más despacio, por favor?

= Could you speak more slowly , please?

This is more polite as well as bening more formal This is how you would address a stranger or person in authority

¿Puedes hablar más despacio (lento)?

= Can you speak more slowly , please?

This is a more colloquial and informal way of saying the same sentence/making the same request and both are acceptable in the right context

I personally favour the first one, which I think is better Spanish and more appropriate especially if you are talking to a waiter, boss etc but you could change podría to podrías if you were addressing a waiter younger than yourself or a child.

I enjoy using the colloquial way even more than the formal way but if you are making a request to a stranger : like:'' Do you mind if I open this window'' (in a train)

= ''¿Le molesta si abrio esta ventana?'' It is better to use the formal manner of speaking

I hope this helps :

Perfecto! Gracias. - spanishspeakerbos, Jul 11, 2011