The pronouns tu and vous

Key points

Tu is used when you’re speaking to someone you know very well, like a friend or family member.
Vous is used when you’re speaking to someone you don’t know very well, or else someone who’s older or more senior than you.

Unlike in English, the French have two main words for you in the singular , that is when you’re speaking to one other person: tu and vous.

Tu is used when you’re speaking to someone you know very well, like a friend or family member:

Tu peux me passer le beurre, s’il te plaît?

Can you pass me the butter please?

Vous is used when you’re speaking to someone you don’t know very well, or else someone who’s older or more senior than you. They may invite you to use the tu form (they might say On se tutoie? which means Let’s use the tu form). If in doubt, you should always use the vous form:

Vous pouvez me passer le beurre, s’il vous plaît?

Can you pass me the butter please?

Vous is also used to express you in the plural :

Taisez-vous, vous faites trop de bruit!

Be quiet, you’re making too much noise!

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