Usted at start of a question vs at the end?

Question

So moving along in Rosetta stone, and in the new level I have noticed quite a change in sentence structure. Before when asking a question of someone, "Usted" would be at the end if it was used. For instance "¿Cuántos años tiene usted? or something such as that, now all of a sudden they are placing Usted as the first word.. "¿Usted cuántos años tiene?"

I am wondering if this is an either/or situation and it does not matter which you use, or is there some kind of rule that I am not catching on to. As you might know, Rosetta stone does not give any explanations, just pictures and words in Spanish, usually I catch on pretty quick, but not sure what I am missing on this one.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Since Rosetta didn´t explain her reasoning for the change, perhaps she was stoned when she put together the new level. However in your example, the placement can create emphasis. If you are talking to a group of people and suddenly you want to ask one specific person, using "usted" at the beginning would indicate your shift from everybody to the one person. "Usted" the end is a very proper way to say it. However if you are talking to just the one person, you can eliminate "usted" completely, unless you are trying to be extremely "proper" as in days of old.

Answer 2

Thanks, That takes away some stress.

Answer 3

I think Rosetta Stone is just trying to show you that both ways are acceptable to form questions. You will see it done both ways in Spanish, just as we do it both ways in English:

You are going with us tonight? Are you going with us tonight?

Julian is right to point out that there may be slightly different shades of meaning possible with these two variations, but they most likely would only be available to very accomplished Spanish speakers. Rosetta Stone's point is that both methods are used, and both methods are acceptable. So expect to see both used often.

Answer 4

Bienvenidos al foro abierto. Welcome to the open forum.

Rosetta stone derives its name from a missing piece of hieroglphics that enabled translators to finally have the keys necessary for accurate translation. That was then…this is now. I can understand your confussion.

¿Cuántos años tiene Ud.?...is simple asking you (singular)... How old are you? By placing UD. in the front of the sentences, it allows the asker to be more demonstrative with his question. He is able to draw more attention to UD. (YOU).

Both are equally correct. It’s just that one way is a bit more demonstrative than the other. Have fun. Viejito