What do you recommend?
Informal version, used with friends, family, or peers. This uses the 'tú' form.
A slightly more formal synonym meaning 'What do you suggest?'. Uses the 'usted' form.
Use this when asking to choose from a specific set of options, like items on a menu. It means 'Which one do you recommend?'.
A very casual and common way to ask 'What's good here?', especially in a restaurant.
At the restaurant: Excuse me, what do you recommend to eat?
Speaking with a friend: I want to read a new book, what do you recommend?
In the clothing store: Between these two shirts, which one do you recommend?
At a tourist office: What do you suggest for us to do in the city today?
The choice between formal '¿Qué me recomienda?' (usted) and informal '¿Qué recomiendas?' (tú) is key. Using 'usted' with service staff is a safe and polite default.
'¿Qué me recomienda?' is the standard polite form for waiters, shopkeepers, and elders. '¿Qué recomiendas?' is used with friends and peers.
The formal 'usted' is very common here, even in some informal contexts. '¿Qué me recomienda?' is an excellent, all-purpose choice in Colombia.
For informal situations, you'll hear '¿Qué me recomendás?', using the 'vos' form. For formal interactions, '¿Qué me recomienda?' is still used.
The informal '¿Qué recomiendas?' (tú) is much more common, even in many service encounters. The formal '¿Qué me recomienda?' is reserved for very formal situations.
Saying '¿Qué es su recomendación?' — This is a literal translation of 'What is your recommendation?'. While grammatically correct, it sounds unnatural and stiff. Native speakers almost always use the verb form: '¿Qué me recomienda?'.
Using '¿Qué tú recomiendas?' — In Spanish, subject pronouns like 'tú' are often omitted in questions because the verb ending ('-as' in 'recomiendas') already tells you who the subject is. Simply say '¿Qué recomiendas?'.
Confusing formal and informal: '¿Qué me recomiendas usted?' — This mixes the informal verb 'recomiendas' (for tú) with the formal pronoun 'usted'. You must be consistent. Correct is: '¿Qué recomiendas?' (informal) or '¿Qué me recomienda (usted)?' (formal).
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