From a variational pragmatics viewpoint (Schneider and Barron, 2008), this study explores the influence of region (cf. Placencia, 2011) on the use of the discourse marker pues in informal talk amid university students in Quito (Ecuador), Santiago (Chile) and Seville (Spain). The analysis is based on a corpus of 60 role-play interactions within each location, evoking advice-giving and complaint talk in −SD (social distance) −P (power) scenarios. The study assesses formal and functional variation in the use of pues throughout data sets, the latter related to position.