El voseo
 

"Vos" is used throughout Latin America in varying ways.  At times, it simply replaces "tú" as a subject pronoun, retaining the same verb form.  More commonly, "vos" has its own conjugation, depending on indicative or imperative mood.  Though it looks similar to the "tú" verbs, there are slight differences in spelling and also in stress/pronunciation.

Take a look at the uses of "vos" below and see if you can draw any conclusions.



 



 
 
   


Any ideas?

The above cartoons are all from Mafalda, by Quino; they represent the use of the voseo in Argentina.


For further explanation of the voseo, click  hereYou can even do some exercises to see if you really understand how to use "vos" now.


Next, this email snippet, calling attention to the voseo in Chiapas, Mexico . . . far from Argentina.
 

Date: Mon, 02 Dec 1996 11:55:46 -0600
From: Roberto Rovelo <rrovelo@uacj.mx>
Subject: Re: (OJALA) Acerca del Voseo.

Don Rodrigo Lajo wrote:

> Amig@s de la Tropa:
> Me animE a hacer un pequenho comentario a la interesante reflexiOn de
> Francisco sobre el "voseo", aportando lo que sE sobre un paIs no
> hablarE de PerU porque, que yo sepa, acA no se usa).

 Pues hablando del Vos, en Chiapas, al sur de Mexico, en casi todo el
estado se habla de vos, perdon, se usa el vos, pero de una manera muy
curiosa, por ejemplo para decir Mira eso, dicen mirAlo, en vez de decir
oye tu, dicen ohI vos, para decir tu eres dicen vos sos, etc, es una
forma muy curiosa de usar el vos.


Finally, Terrell Morgan from Ohio State University has several good illustrations of el voseo.


© Jean W. LeLoup, 1999.