vous tous
The English phrase "all of you" is translated into French as vous tous.
This phrase is used to address every person in a group.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the second-person plural pronoun vous (you) and the masculine plural adjective tous (all), literally meaning "you all".
Which one should you use?
While tous can mean "all" on its own, adding vous specifies that the "all" refers specifically to the people being addressed.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the group being addressed consists entirely of women, the phrase changes to vous toutes.
Did you know?
- The French word vous is a distant linguistic relative of the Russian word вы (vy).
- In the regional Occitan language of southern France, the equivalent of vous is vosautres, which is closely related to the Catalan vosaltres.
- The pronoun vous used in this phrase is the same one used to show formal respect to a single person, even though here it refers to a group.
Examples in context
- Merci à vous tous.Thanks to all of you.This sentence is useful for showing how to express gratitude to a group using vous tous.Tatoeba #4550843 by sacredceltic, translation #2891896 by CK
- Où étiez-vous tous ?Where were all of you?This sentence is useful for asking a group about their previous location using vous tous.Tatoeba #4550778 by sacredceltic, translation #2870205 by CK
- Venez ici, vous tous !Come here, all of you.This sentence is useful for an imperative command directed at a group using vous tous.Tatoeba #4550807 by sacredceltic, translation #2891020 by CK
- Je vous aime tousI love all of you
- Je vous adore tous les deuxI adore both of you
- Merci à tout le monde pour l'aideThank you, everyone, for your help
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is welcoming her friends to a party.
- EmmaJe suis ravie de vous voir vous tous !I am delighted to see all of you!
- HugoMerci, Emma ! On est contents d'être là.Thanks, Emma! We are happy to be here.
- EmmaEst-ce que vous tous avez faim ?Are all of you hungry?
- HugoOui, on a très faim !Yes, we are very hungry!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tous, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
