vous
/vu/
The French phrase vous is the second-person plural pronoun.
The word vous is used to address a group of people (meaning 'you all') or to address a single person in a formal manner.
Which one should you use?
vous serves as the counterpart to the informal singular pronoun tu, which is used for singular, informal situations. Therefore, vous is used when you are speaking to more than one person or when you are speaking to one person formally.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, individuals may use tu more casually with acquaintances or strangers compared to standard French usage.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a second-person pronoun, vous always requires a verb conjugated in the second-person plural form, such as vous êtes.
How do you pronounce it?
/vu/
Did you know?
- French speakers may use vous to address a pet or an animal as a joke to treat them with exaggerated dignity.
- At the French royal court, the desire to be respectful exceeded the use of vous, leading some to address superiors in the third person il or elle.
- The word vous shares its ancient roots with the Russian pronoun вы (vy), which is also used to address people formally.
Examples in context
- Est-ce que vous voulez un café ?Do you want a coffee?
- Vous arrivez à quelle heure ?What time are you arriving?
- Je pense que vous avez raison.I think you are right.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are greeting their friends.
- NathanBonjour ! Comment allez-vous ?Hello! How are you all doing?
- ManonNous allons très bien, merci.We are doing very well, thank you.
- NathanEst-ce que vous voulez entrer ?Do you all want to come in?
- ManonOui, avec plaisir !Yes, with pleasure!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vous, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
