Can "Querido" be used formally?

Question

Hola!

I'm writing a professional letter, and would like to say "Dear (person's name." Is it OK to use "Querido" in this context, or is that too informal? Are there any better ways to start letters to strangers?

Gracias

Answer 1

This is a very interesting question. I rarely, if ever, write letters in Spanish, but I do send out a quite few e-mails. I woudl only say ' Querido' to somebody I had met ( and liked) . To business aquintances I would definitly say' Estimado/a' , even by e-mail, which I consider less formal than a letter. Then we have the problem how to finish it:

Abrazos and besos are not that suitable for formal letters either, I tend to use saludos, for better or for worse..

I agree, well said. :-) - Gekkosan, Jan 9, 2012

Thank you gekkosan. - annierats, Jan 10, 2012

Answer 2

There is another expression that is in between "querido" and "estimado". It is "Apreciado/a/os/as" This expression is not too formal, or too informal. But still, if you are writing a formal letter like a business letter, "Estimado" is the way to go!

I agree Farallon - pacofinkler, Jan 9, 2012

Thx! ; ) - farallon7, Jan 9, 2012

I'll remeber apreciado, I had never seen it used, but it could come in handy, I can see that. - annierats, Jan 10, 2012

Answer 3

No deberia ser "estimado..." porque querido es a alguien que conoces y estimado es mas formal. Gracias

Muchas gracias! - Zoochick3, Jan 9, 2012

Did you mean to write?....No, debería ser "estimado...". - 0074b507, Jan 9, 2012

I was thinking the same... jeje - NikkiLR, Jan 9, 2012

I mentally inserted the comma there haha - Zoochick3, Jan 9, 2012

Answer 4

In a formal letter " Estimado" " Estimada" is the proper form.

Gracias! - Zoochick3, Jan 9, 2012