Copywriting In Spanish

[akanemd]

Hi-

When writing direct sales copy in Spanish, is it better to use the formal forms for 'you' (usted, su) or is it appropriate to use the familiar forms, (tu, te)?

Also, my target audience is 97% women. Is is okay to use the feminine verb forms when addressing them, or do I need to stick with the masculine forms?

Thanks.

[bluejay47]

Depends on who you're speaking to and in what country. Most people I've met use the informal. Verbs are not masculine and feminine. Adjectives are -- and they would describe what you're talking about, not who you're talking to. Hope I understood that question right! Wow I just realized I'm responding to a realllly old post. Oh well, I'll reply anyway...

[tortilla09]

I encountered some marketing copies in Spanish that is written informally. I guess it depends on what country you are targeting.

[torka]

I would imagine the standards in Spain could be different from those in Argentina, which are probably different still from those in Mexico or the Caribbean. Your best bet may be to either find a copywriter or a translator who is native to the country/countries you're trying to target and have them write/translate your text. They'll know the answers to your grammar and usage questions and can also help you steer clear of inadvertent embarrassment arising from ignorance, misuse or misunderstanding of slang terms, regional dialects and idiomatic expressions.

--Torka

[agatto2]

Originally Posted by torka

I would imagine the standards in Spain could be different from those in Argentina, which are probably different still from those in Mexico or the Caribbean. Your best bet may be to either find a copywriter or a translator who is native to the country/countries you're trying to target and have them write/translate your text. They'll know the answers to your grammar and usage questions and can also help you steer clear of inadvertent embarrassment arising from ignorance, misuse or misunderstanding of slang terms, regional dialects and idiomatic expressions.

--Torka

To back up Torka a bit - My wife and I live in Peru. We were out to dinner last night with 6 friends. Two Peruvian , 2 mexican American, and two straight up Americans.

The Mexican/ American friends are from California, we are from NY. We are all speaking Spanish/English and talking about Mexican food. So we ask the Mexican Americans if they had a Chi-Chi's (in English) in California , of course they said yes. We then turn to the Peruvian friends and ask if they have chi-chi's here in Peru. I never heard anyone laugh so hard. In their language Chi-Chi's is boobs. LOL -- We all got a good laugh on that one

[Nutty]

Hola

I live in Spain and when speaking to people you don't know we always use the formal (usted), I would also recommend using this when trying to sell

We run Spanish websites/SEO and newsletters/articles in Spanish

When you don't know who you are talking to, you use the masculine and you only use the feminine when you know they are feminine, one way we get round this is when addressing a letter that we don't know who it is to, we use:

Estimado/a

Hope that helps

Hasta Pronto!

Simone aka Nutty

[okwork55]

Your best bet may be to either find a copywriter or a translator who is native to the country/countries you're trying to target and have them write/translate your text

[AliceDenis]

I think in any case it is right to say in formal,,,whoever they are it is the way to refer to the reader,,and for masculino and femenino ,, I would take masculino =)))