Formal and informal you (tu vs. vous)

Formal and Informal "You"

In English, we use "you" for everyone. In French, there are two different words for "you" depending on the politeness register:

• tu is the informal "you". Use it with friends, family members, peers, and children.
• vous is the formal "you". Use it with strangers, elders, or professionals. (As you learned before, vous is also the plural "you" for groups).

To match these registers, French has different greetings:

• Bonjour (Hello) is standard and appropriate for formal situations.
• Salut (Hi) is informal, used only with people you address as tu.

Titles like Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam) are always paired with vous.

Using 'Être' (to be)

Notice how the verb changes depending on which "you" you use:

Adjective Agreement with a Singular "Vous"

When you use vous to speak formally to one person, the adjective does not become plural. You do not add an -s. The adjective simply matches the gender of the single person you are addressing.

If you are speaking to a woman, the adjective takes a feminine -e:

If you are speaking to a man, it remains masculine:

And of course, the informal tu follows the exact same gender rules: