Writing to a Spanish-speaking customer: choose the address form first

Choose usted before tú

Default to usted for a first business contact, with the third-person verb forms that go with it. Move to tú only when the customer does, or when they invite you to.

Spain often keeps usted in business settings. Mexican business contacts commonly use usted as well. In Argentina and Uruguay, vos is common in speech and has its own verb forms. If you are unsure, usted is the safer choice.

Ask about language early: ¿Prefiere que le escriba en español o en inglés? — Do you prefer that I write in Spanish or English? Confirm the language before you discuss the deal.

Greetings and confirming the request

Keep the opening short. A greeting, a thank-you, and the reason for the message are enough.

Confirm what you received before you ask for more. It shows the customer that the message arrived and gives them a clear next step.

• Buenos días, gracias por su mensaje. — Good morning, thank you for your message. Use it to open a chat or reply after a delay.
• Le confirmo que recibí su solicitud. — I confirm that I received your request. Use it after an inquiry or a document arrives.
• ¿Podría confirmarme la cantidad y el modelo? — Could you confirm the quantity and model? Use it before you quote.

Quote, lead time, and delivery

Say what the quote includes. Freight, packaging, tax, and payment fees are common sources of misunderstanding.

Give a lead time with a start point. "X days" means little until you say whether the clock starts at deposit, order confirmation, or artwork approval.

• Le adjunto nuestra cotización. — I am attaching our quotation. Use it when you send the quote.
• El precio incluye el embalaje, pero no el flete. — The price includes packaging but not freight. Change it to match your real terms.
• El plazo de producción es de [X] días desde la confirmación del pedido. — Production takes [X] days from order confirmation.
• La fecha de entrega estimada es [fecha]. — The estimated delivery date is [date].

Payment and closing

Confirm payment terms in writing before the customer pays. If the terms are still under discussion, ask rather than assume.

Close with one clear next step. A message that ends without an action invites another round of questions.

• ¿Podría confirmar las condiciones de pago? — Could you confirm the payment terms?
• Hemos recibido su pago. Gracias. — We have received your payment. Thank you.
• Quedo atento a su confirmación. — I look forward to your confirmation. Common in Spain and Latin America; a woman writes Quedo atenta.
• Muchas gracias por su tiempo. Saludos cordiales. — Thank you for your time. Kind regards.
• Si tiene alguna duda, quedo a su disposición. — If you have any questions, I am available to help.

Regional differences and limits

Spanish is not one market. Business habits and everyday words differ across Spain, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. A phrase that sounds normal in one country can sound stiff or too casual in another. Do not treat one country's usage as universal.

Machine translation helps you read an incoming message, but it often drops honorifics, abbreviations, and the difference between tú and usted. Check names, amounts, dates, and titles before you send. The extension does not guarantee a perfect translation and does not send messages for you.

If a customer writes with vos or another regional form, you do not need to copy it. Clear, polite usted is enough. Follow their switch only when they invite it.