{"id":25989,"date":"2017-02-07T05:40:52","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T04:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=25989"},"modified":"2018-04-29T17:24:11","modified_gmt":"2018-04-29T15:24:11","slug":"its-all-about-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/its-all-about-you\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s all about you"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whereas English only has one from of the word ‘you’ (serving as both the singular and plural*) French, like many languages, has two (tu<\/strong> and vous<\/strong>). But do you know why? And do you know when to use them?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

‘Tu<\/em>‘ and ‘vous<\/em>‘ are personal pronouns that replace (or refer to) the subject of a sentence**. They both mean ‘you’<\/em> . . . but there are differences you need to be aware of so you can be sure to use them properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘tu’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

‘Tu’<\/em> is the singular, informal form of ‘you’. You use it to refer or speak to one person that you know relatively well. It is considered impolite in France and most other francophone countries to us ‘tu<\/em>‘ with someone you don’t know well, have just met, or (see below) who is in a position of superiority***. One exception to this rule is adults speaking with children – in general, most adults will use ‘tu’\u00a0<\/em>when speaking to kids. The use of ‘tu’ <\/em>is called ‘tutoiement’.<\/em><\/td>\n

‘vous’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

‘Vous’<\/em> also means ‘you’ . . . <\/em>but it can be singular or plural****. It is more formal than ‘tu’ <\/em>and is used when speaking with superiors, strangers, or people you don’t know yet. The use of ‘vous’<\/em> is referred to as ‘vouvoiement’<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Let’s look at some examples:
\nPierre, est-ce que tu veux aller au cin\u00e9ma ce soir?<\/strong> \/ Peter, do you want to go to the movies tonight?<\/em> (Where Pierre\/Peter is a friend of a child)
\nM. Dupont, avez-vous re\u00e7u le courriel de Mme. Dubois?<\/strong> \/ Mr. Dupont, did you receive Mrs. Dubois’ e-mail?<\/em> (If M. Dupont was your boss, or even a coworker in a more traditional office place)
\nMarie et Jean, vous avez de la visite!<\/strong> \/ Mary and John, you have company!<\/em>
\nMaman, tu es tr\u00e8s jolie aujourd’hui.<\/strong> \/ Mom, you look very pretty today.<\/em>
\nGuillaume, passe moi le sel, s’il te pla\u00eet.<\/strong> \/ William, pass me the salt, please.<\/em> (William is a good friend eating with you).
\nVotre attention, s’il vous pla\u00eet.<\/strong> \/ (May I have) your attention, please. (Notice that ‘please<\/em>‘ – literally ‘if it pleases you’<\/em> – changes according to who you’re speaking to).<\/p>\n

Et pour finir<\/strong> (and to end<\/em>), a little song from another of my favorite French singers that highlights this weeks topic. Je te dis vous<\/strong> (I say ‘you’ (formal) to ‘you’ (intimate)<\/em>) plays off of the differences between the two forms of ‘you’ to highlight a power differential in a (possible) love story.<\/p>\n