- Oye and mira are used to get attention.
- In formal contexts, diga or perdone are used.
- They come at the beginning of sentences to start contact or show courtesy.
| Forma (Form) | Uso (Usage) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Mira | Llamar la atención/Introducir opinión (Get someone's attention/Introduce opinion) | Mira, no estoy de acuerdo. (Look, I do not agree.) |
| Oye | Pedir atención rápida o iniciar conversación (Ask for quick attention or start a conversation) | Oye, la reunión empieza ya. (Hey, the meeting starts now.) |
| Diga | Contestar el teléfono (Answer the phone) | ¿Diga? ¿Quién es? (Hello? Who is it?) |
| Perdona | Interrumpir informalmente (Interrupt informally) | Perdona, ¿tienes un minuto? (Sorry, do you have a minute?) |
| Perdone | Interrumpir formalmente (Interrupt formally) | Perdone, ¿podría repetir eso? (Excuse me, could you repeat that?) |
Exceptions!
- Perdone is more formal than perdona.
- Mira and oye do not always literally mean to look or to hear.
Exercise 1: Los imperativos: Mira, Oye, ¿Diga?
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Perdone, Mira, Diga, Oye, Perdona
1.
Excusa informal:
..., el cliente está esperando fuera.
(Sorry, the customer is waiting outside.)
2.
Introducir opinión:
..., el uniforme está listo ya.
(Look, the uniform is ready now.)
3.
Iniciar conversación informal:
..., creo que olvidaste invitar al cliente
(Hey, I think you forgot to invite the client)
4.
Contestar al teléfono:
¿...? Estoy en el despacho ahora.
(Hello? I am in the office now.)
5.
Avisar informalmente:
..., la sala de reuniones está ocupada.
(Hey, the meeting room is occupied.)
6.
Contestar al teléfono:
¿...? Llamo para confirmar la reunión.
(Hello? I'm calling to confirm the meeting.)
7.
Pedir permiso formal:
..., la impresora no funciona bien.
(Sorry, the printer isn't working properly.)
8.
Llamar la atención:
..., la cita es hoy, no mañana.
(Look, the appointment is today, not tomorrow.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in each block to practice informal and formal imperatives used to get attention, initiate contact, or express courtesy in office and meeting contexts.
1.
‘Excuse me’ is informal; to get attention in a formal context, ‘excuse me (formal)’ or ‘hey’ is better.
‘Tell me’ is not common for getting attention in formal or office contexts; ‘hey’ or ‘look’ are preferred.
2.
‘Say’ is not used to express opinions or get attention; it’s more for answering the phone or formal call contexts.
‘Tell me’ is incorrect as an imperative; also, ‘hey’ is not used with infinitive verbs like ‘tell me’.
3.
‘Hey’ is not common for answering a phone call, it’s more for getting attention; ‘Hello?’ is better.
‘Look’ (imperative form used in some dialects) does not correspond to Spain’s Spanish and is not used in formal contexts; also, ‘say’ is more appropriate.
4.
‘Excuse me’ (informal) is less appropriate in formal meetings or official interactions.
‘Look’ is used to get attention more directly and less formally; ‘excuse me’ is better for courtesy in meetings.
