Learn Hardcore French: Tu es petit.

French has two forms of "you": tu (informal or singular familiar) and vous (formal or plural). In this sentence, tu is used to address one person in an informal setting or someone close to you (like a friend or family member).

Why do we say petit and not petite?

In French, adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun they describe. Petit is the masculine form, and petite is the feminine form. If you say “tu es petit,” you’re talking to a male or referring to the masculine form. If you wanted to describe a female as short or small, you would use petite.

Why is it tu es and not tu est?

Es is the correct conjugation of the verb être (to be) for tu (second person singular). Est is the third person singular form (il/elle/on est). So when using tu, you must say tu es.

Can we say tu est if we’re emphasizing the word “are”?

No, in French spelling and grammar, tu est is always incorrect. Emphasis in French is usually conveyed through intonation or word order, but you don’t change the spelling of the conjugation.