French · A1 · Culture & life
Tu or Vous? Choosing the Right French “You”
Use vous for several people, even when you know them well. For one person, vous is a common polite choice with strangers, and tu usually fits friends, family and informal settings. Local norms vary. With one person you have just met, listen for how they address you or start with vous.
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Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Tu viens demain ? | Are you coming tomorrow? (one person, informal) |
| Vous venez demain ? | Are you coming tomorrow? (polite singular or plural) |
| On peut se tutoyer ? | Can we use tu with each other? |
Change the verb as well
Tu habites à Lyon ? uses the singular form habites. Vous habitez à Lyon ? uses habitez. The final sound differs in these two forms, so practise the complete question as a pair. Changing only the pronoun can leave the sentence with the wrong ending.
When people switch
On peut se tutoyer ? asks whether you can use tu with each other. You may hear this after an introduction or when a conversation becomes less formal. In a group of friends, keep vous for the group, even though each friend individually gets tu.
Try it
Ask two friends whether they live nearby.
Show answer
Vous habitez près d’ici ?
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