48 - "Tu" vs "Vous”: Which One to Choose?

 
 

Listen to this episode to find out how to choose between “tu” & “vous” in French! 🤓

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Links & Cheat Sheet

Transcript

Intro: Welcome to the French Made Easy podcast, where I give you all the basics you need to speak French clearly and confidently. I'm your host, Mathilde, and I'm a French teacher, mumpreneur, and bread and cheese lover. Join me as I dive into all things French for beginners, and deliver to you bite-sized and easy-to-follow lessons every Tuesday. Let's get started, "on commence"!

Bonjour à tous! Hey guys! Welcome back to the French Made Easy Podcast! This is episode number 48, numéro 48! Today's episode is all about the subject pronoun "you" in French. You'll find out when to use "tu" and when to use "vous." 

Before you start, as usual, make sure you have your lesson's cheat sheet in front of you. It's free; the link is in the episode notes. After the lesson, head over to the French Made Easy library to download your lesson's exercises. It's also free! 

Alright, vous êtes prêts? Are you guys ready? C'est parti. 

Okay, so first, if you don't know what a subject pronoun is, you need to go back to episode number 14, where I teach you what the subject pronouns are. I'll put the link in the episode notes. 

Alright, then let's dive in. 

So, to know whether to use "tu" or "vous," in French you'll need to consider two things:

  1. Are you talking to one or several people?

  2. Is the situation formal or informal?

So first, let's see when to use "tu:"

You use "tu" when you're talking to one person, usually in an informal situation. So, someone you know well. It can be a friend or a member of your family. You can also say "tu" to a child or a teenager (even if you don't know them.)

For example: 

I meet my friend at the supermarket. I'm going to say to her, "Salut, tu vas bien ?" (hi, how are you?). Here I'm using "tu." She's my friend, I know her, that's why I say "tu."

Now let's see when to use "vous":

Alright, so two options here!

#1: You use "vous" when you're talking to one person in a formal situation. It can be a client, your boss, or a professional. Also, use "vous" with someone you don't know very well or that you're meeting for the first time. Now, here obviously, it also depends on what you judge formal or informal. 

For example: 

I'm going to my doctor's. "Bonjour, vous allez bien ?" (hi, how are you?) I know my doctor, but it's still professional, so I use "vous."

I'm at the supermarket, again. At the checkout, I'm going to say to the cashier, "Hi, how are you?" Even if I've seen her or him before, I don't know her or him personally. So I say "vous."

#2: That one is simple; use "vous" when you're talking to more than one person (whether it's formal or informal, it doesn't matter). 

Again, let's take the example of the groceries.

You guys are going to think I spend my time at the supermarket. So scratch that; let's just say I'm outside.

So I'm outside, and I see some friends with their kids. I'll say to them, "Salut, vous allez bien ?" (hi, how are you?) I'm addressing more than one person, so I use "vous." 

Alright, so that's basically it! But my advice is that when you're in doubt, use "vous." If the person you're talking to says "Tu peux me tutoyer !" (You can say "tu) then, switch to "tu."

So that's now the end of today's lesson. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you did, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Don't forget to go and download your lesson's exercises so you can practice what you've learned today! 

Thanks for your time, merci beaucoup et à bientôt! 

Mathilde Kien4 Comments