Published November 4, 2015 • Updated June 25, 2026 — By French teacher David Issokson, teaching French online since 2014 with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier
There are two main ways to say “you” in French: tu and vous. Tu is informal and singular. Vous is formal singular or plural. English speakers often find this tricky because English uses one basic word: “you.” In French, you must choose the correct form depending on the person and situation.
Tu vs. vous explained
What do tu and vous mean?
➞ Tu means “you” when speaking informally to one person.
➞ Vous means “you” when speaking politely or formally to one person.
➞ Vous also means “you” when speaking to two or more people.
Tu meaning
Tu is the familiar form of “you.” Use tu with friends, family members, children, classmates and people you know well. Use tu only when speaking to one person.
Vous meaning
Vous has two uses.
➞ Use vous as formal “you” when speaking politely to one person.
➞ Use vous as plural “you” when speaking to two or more people.
In English, vous can mean “you,” “you guys,” “you all” or “y’all,” depending on the context.
When to use vous
Use vous with people you do not know well, especially in polite or professional situations. This includes strangers, teachers, service workers, officials and clients. If you are working in France, use vous with your boss, supervisors and colleagues you do not know very well.
When in doubt, use vous. It is safer and more polite.
When to use tu
Use tu with friends, family members, children, teenagers and people you are on familiar terms with. Adults normally use tu with children. However, children are generally expected to use vous with adults they do not know well. If you are speaking to a group of children, use vous because vous is the plural form of “you.”
Tu or vous with someone your own age?
With someone your own age, the choice depends on the situation. In casual settings, French speakers may use tu. In more formal settings, they may start with vous. The safest rule is to follow the other person’s lead. If you are not sure, start with vous.
⚠️ Common mistake: using tu too quickly
One common mistake is using tu too quickly with an adult you do not know well. When speaking to an adult you do not know well, start with vous. You can switch to tu later if the other person invites it.
Tutoyer and vouvoyer
French has two useful verbs for talking about tu and vous.
Tutoyer means to use tu with someone.
Tu peux me tutoyer.
You can use tu with me.
Est-ce que je peux vous tutoyer ?
Can I use tu with you?
Vouvoyer means to use vous with someone.
Tu dois me vouvoyer !
You must use vous with me!
Other ways of saying “you” in French
In addition to tu and vous, French also uses te, t’, toi and vous as object pronouns or stressed pronouns.
Te and t’ as object pronouns
Te and t’ can mean “you,” “to you” or “at you.” Use t’ before a vowel or silent h.
Je te regarde.
I look at you.
Je te réponds.
I answer you.
Vous as an object pronoun
Vous can also be an object pronoun.
Je vous regarde.
I look at you.
Je vous réponds.
I answer you.
Toi and vous as stressed pronouns
After a preposition such as avec, use toi, not tu.
Je dîne avec toi.
I have dinner with you.
Use vous after a preposition for formal singular “you” or plural “you.”
Je dîne avec vous.
I have dinner with you.
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