Languages

Advanced French – Using TU and VOUS

A ongoing method of getting damage to students of French is verbs and pronouns. This something you can easily master if you wish to talk inside an advanced level. This is often a self-self-help guide to mastering among the finest difficulties within the verb system.

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French verbs are conjugated with two subject pronouns for the second person (YOU): TU and VOUS. The 2 French pronouns obtain corresponding conjugated verb forms. This really is frequently a significant difference with British along with a first method of getting difficulty, particularly with irregular verbs. For example:

tufais, vousfaites (you are making)

tu vas, vousallez (you are going)

tu dis, vousdites (you say)

tumanges, vousmangez (you eat)

tusais, voussavez (you realize)

tupeux, vouspouvez (you can)

Using TU is known as tutoiement and make use of of VOUS vouvoiement. There’s also corresponding verbs tutoyer and vouvoyer. The fundamental of those variations goes similar to this:

TU – singular and informal

VOUS – singular and formal -all plurals (formal and informal)

In this way there’s two words but three meanings here while British does everything with this is the primary a thing “you”. Note how VOUS has two different meanings. For loudspeakers of British, this can be really the explanation for much confusion and mistakes which can be very jarring additionally to impolite to native loudspeakers. Let us examines some elementary guidelines:

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  1. Use TU

– When talking to youthful children individually

– When talking to close buddies, classmates and colleagues of comparable rank

– When talking to pets and creatures

– When “talk lower” to a person

  1. Use VOUS

– When talking with others

– In formal occasions for example interviews, lectures, speeches and conferences

– When talking with part of positions of authority or of greater social rank

– When talking with older persons

– When talking to categories of people who you’d utilize TU, i.e. to children

This appears rather straightforward, only one shouldn’t underestimate the complications of french. To begin with, it is because pronouns have connected possessive adjectives: ton, ta, tes, votre, vos, much like ta maison (your home), ton travail (work), tesamis (your buddies), votremaison (your home), votre travail (work), vosamis (your buddies).

Furthermore, you will find indirect and direct object pronouns: te/t’, vous, much like je tevois (I enable you to), ellet’attend (she’s awaiting you), ilst’ontécrit (they authored to suit your needs), nous vouscherchons “(we’re searching to meet your requirements), je vousparle (I am speaking together with you).

The large challenge for loudspeakers of British will probably be consistent. Everything you won’t might like to do is combine the topic pronouns while using the wrong verb forms or possibly the incorrect possessive adjectives and object pronouns. Avoid common errors like:

As-tu vu vosamis? (Maybe you have seen your buddies?)

Vousdoisappeler ta femme. (You have to call your lover,)

Je vousappelle de ton bureau. (I am calling you against your working atmosphere.)

The very best forms are:

As-tu vu tesamis?

Vousdevezappelervotre femme.

Je vousappelle de votre bureau.

The 2nd challenge is to use the most effective pronoun using the situation. Using TU where singular VOUS is known as for might actually be very impolite and downright insulting.

The general rule here is to use VOUS if you’ve got the tiniest doubt. With any type of context of formality, use VOUS while you’ve got a sense of what so many people are using. All you mightsee is people using TU among themselves within the more enjoyable setting then switching to VOUS when things be formal. This occurs a great deal with television and radio announcers. On air it’s all regulated controlled controlled VOUS off air exactly the same women and men change to TU.

James Sullivan
the authorJames Sullivan