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Spanish varies a lot depending on the country, but I've noticed this: My female Spanish speaking friends use: Holi, Porfi (Hi/Please) While the male ones use

• deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
• pvaldes 5y ago
  This is typical Flanders-tongue but are interesting. The goal is not sounding femenine, is sounding childish. Something that can be useful Porfa is used only when the context is casual. Porfi is extra-casual and childish but men can use it perfectly in the correct context. An example > Por favor (Please) let me eat cake. Not. > Porfa (pleaaase, more pleading and casual) ... No way, is for later. > Porfiiii... (please,please,please... big eyed Cat of Shrek mode) Well, okay... > (bingo!) In Spain using a childish tone by men is perfectly acceptable as long as you turn to the normal mode fast and you have a purpose. Can be used to express a very close relationship with your audience. As a cute effect. And much more important, can be used as comic relief. When mimicking a child you reduce your level of perceived menace to other. Is like saying "Just joking, hehe", therefore you are triggering a calming effect in your public. Holi is the worst offender, but a big tall man talking to an afraid children could use it without any problem to express "I don't want to hurt you". Saying directly "I don't want to hurt you" could sound threatening instead (There is an implicit "I don't want... but I could") An adult man will not need to calm other adult stranger normally, so in this context can do more harm than good. Never use it all the time, and never in business or formal context because you simply lose leverage.