Which Form of Spanish, Tu or Usted, Should You Use When Meeting Someone?

How should you speak to people in Spain? - copyright tobiasflickr, Creative Commons

 

When you first move to Spain and are learning Spanish, you might get confused when you first meet people. Unlike English, the Spanish language has a choice of ‘tu’ and ‘usted’, but which is the most polite way to speak when you first meet someone?

What are the rules? Who can you use ‘tu’ with? And who should get the more polite ‘usted’? Will people think you’re incredibly rude, if you use the wrong one?

Actually, it’s quite easy to figure out. Just watch this quick video and take a couple of mental notes. Then that way, the next time you meet someone new, you won’t put your foot in it.