Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vous | /vu/ /vu.z‿/ |
polite |
| tu | /ty/ | familiar |
These words are subject pronouns used to address the person or people being spoken to. The form tu is used for a single person when you are on familiar terms, while vous is used to address a single person formally or to address a group of people.
Which one should you use?
tu is used for a single person you know well, whereas vous is used for a single person you are addressing formally or for any group of people. Even if you know a group of people well, you must use vous because it is the only form used when addressing more than one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tu is the familiar, informal form. vous is the polite, formal form and is the most common way to express 'you' in formal situations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verbs vouvoyer and voussoyer refer to the act of addressing someone using the more formal second-person pronoun vous.
How do you pronounce it?
/vu/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tu with strangers or superiors because they assume the English "you" is a single concept that does not change.
When do people say it?
The social practice of using the formal vous to show respect or maintain professional distance is described by the verb vouvoyer. Conversely, the practice of using the informal tu with friends, family or peers is described by the verb tutoyer.
Did you know?
- Using tu when someone expects vous can be perceived as a deliberate insult or an attempt to assert dominance.
- Some French speakers use vous to address their pets or animals in a playful or ironic way.
- The formal 'vous' actually shares its origins with the Latin word for 'you' (plural), which is why it is used for groups today.
Examples in context
- Tu m'as eu !You got me!This sentence is useful for seeing tu in an informal context.Tatoeba #477234 by sacredceltic, translation #17515 by dawnbreaksopen
- Tu te tais ?Are you not saying anything?This sentence is useful for seeing tu used in a question.Tatoeba #1148199 by sacredceltic, translation #1349143 by sacredceltic
- Hé, vous là !Hey, you there!This sentence is useful for seeing vous used to address someone.Tatoeba #473113 by sacredceltic, translation #329023 by fcbond
- Excusez-moi, pouvez-vous m'aider?Excuse me, can you help me?
- Vous êtes très aimable.You are very kind.
- Bonjour, Madame Dupont. Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?Good morning, Mrs. Dupont. How are you today?
- Monsieur, pouvez-vous me donner des informations sur cette exposition?Sir, could you give me information about this exhibition?
- Salut! Comment tu vas aujourd'hui?Hi! How are you today?
- Tu es vraiment drôle!You are really funny!
- Pourquoi toi?Why you?
- Toi, tu es vraiment chanceux!You, you are really lucky!
- 16378 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is a customer asking Hugo, a shopkeeper, for help.
- EmmaBonjour, est-ce que vous avez ce livre ?Hello, do you have this book?
- HugoOui, je peux vous le chercher.Yes, I can look it up for you.
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, Monsieur.Thank you very much, sir.
- HugoJe vous en prie.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries vous, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tu, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
