tu
/ty/familiar
The English word 'you' can be translated into French as tu or vous.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tu | /ty/ | familiar |
| vous | /vu/ /vu.z‿/ |
polite |
In French, 'you' is a subject pronoun used to address the person being spoken to. The informal way to say 'you' is tu, while the formal way is vous.
Which one should you use?
While tu is used for a single person in an informal context, vous is used for both a single person in a formal context and for any group of people (plural you).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tu is a familiar form. vous is a polite and formal form.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing more than one person, regardless of how well you know them, you must use vous.
How do you pronounce it?
/ty/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tu with strangers or elders because English only has one word for 'you', which can be perceived as rude in French.
Did you know?
- The process of switching from vous to tu in a relationship is called tutoyement.
- French speakers may use vous to address a pet or an animal as a joke, treating the animal with mock formality.
- Using tu when vous is expected is not just a mistake but can be a deliberate social insult used to demean someone.
Examples in context
- Tu m'as eu !You got me!This example shows the use of tu.Tatoeba #477234 by sacredceltic, translation #17515 by dawnbreaksopen
- Tu te tais ?Are you not saying anything?Tatoeba #1148199 by sacredceltic, translation #1349143 by sacredceltic
- Hé, vous là !Hey, you there!This example shows the use of vous.Tatoeba #473113 by sacredceltic, translation #329023 by fcbond
- Excusez-moi, madame, vous parlez anglais ?Excuse me, ma'am, do you speak English?
- Salut, comment ça va ? Est-ce que tu veux sortir ce soir ?Hi, how's it going? Do you want to go out tonight?
- Quand on visite Paris pour la première fois, on est émerveillé.When you visit Paris for the first time, you are amazed.
- 16378 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are catching up at a cafe.
- LéaTu vas bien ?Are you doing well?
- NathanOui, et toi ?Yes, and you?
- LéaÇa va super !I am doing great!
- NathanJe suis content pour toi.I am happy for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries tu, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
