Decide whom you are addressing
English you leaves several distinctions unstated that French often marks directly. Tu addresses one person familiarly. Vous can address several people or one person with a more formal relationship. This is not a simple translation of age, friendliness, or personal warmth. A polite person can use either form appropriately, depending on the established relationship and situation. At a first meeting with an adult you do not know, vous is a cautious default in many settings, but local and group conventions vary. Listen to introductions and explicit invitations rather than treating one rule as universal across all French speaking communities. A useful formal greeting question is Comment allez-vous ?, meaning How are you? Its irregular verb also matches the address form.
Vous parlez français ?
Do you speak French, addressing an unfamiliar adult formally?
The prompt specifies a formal singular relationship, so the addressee pronoun takes the form also used for plural you. The verb ending agrees with that grammatical form. Social context is part of the answer, not merely a decorative detail around the sentence.
Tu parles français ?
Do you speak French, addressing one established close friend?
The relationship is already familiar and the addressee is one person. The pronoun and the written verb ending therefore form a matching pair. The same question could use another address form in another relationship, but that would be a different situation.
References for this explanation
Change the entire subject and verb pair
Switching address forms requires more than replacing the pronoun. Compare tu parles with vous parlez, tu es with vous êtes, and tu as with vous avez. The irregular verbs must be retrieved as whole groups. The formal singular form uses the same verb conjugation as plural vous, even though only one person is present. This is a grammatical convention, not an invitation to make the rest of the sentence refer to several people. Build a small set of paired questions and change the subject and finite verb together before adding vocabulary for a longer conversation.
Tu es ici pour le cours ?
Are you here for the class, addressing a friend?
The familiar singular subject takes its irregular present form. The question uses statement order with rising intonation, so the verb does not move or gain an English style helper. The location and purpose phrases leave the subject agreement unchanged.
Vous avez une question ?
Do you have a question, addressing someone formally?
The addressee pronoun requires this irregular present form in both formal singular and plural use. The object is one question, but object number does not control the verb. Learn the complete subject and verb group as a reusable conversation unit.
Follow a complete example
Build a sentence with this meaning: Are you here for the class, addressing a friend? Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: Are you here for the class, addressing a friend? Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The familiar singular subject takes its irregular present form. The question uses statement order with rising intonation, so the verb does not move or gain an English style helper. The location and purpose phrases leave the subject agreement unchanged.
- Now read the complete sentence, Tu es ici pour le cours ?. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
Tu es ici pour le cours ? Are you here for the class, addressing a friend?
Introduce yourself and invite the other person to respond
A first conversation often begins with a greeting and a name. Je m’appelle Lina is a useful full introduction. To ask another person’s name with a clear beginner question frame, use Comment est-ce que vous vous appelez ? or the familiar Comment est-ce que tu t’appelles ?. The repeated word in the formal version has two jobs: the first is the subject, and the second belongs to the reflexive verb. A shorter conversational question can keep statement order and use intonation. Do not delete a word simply because English does not repeat you in the translation.
Comment est-ce que vous vous appelez ?
What is your name, addressing someone formally?
The subject and reflexive word belong to the same addressee, and the finite verb takes the matching ending. The question frame leaves their order intact. The two identical small words serve different grammatical functions rather than being accidental repetition.
Comment est-ce que tu t’appelles ?
What is your name, addressing one friend?
The reflexive word matches the familiar singular subject and elides before the vowel. The verb also carries its familiar singular ending. This complete group is more reliable to learn than a literal English word order for the name question.
Remember that vous can be genuinely plural
When speaking to two friends at once, use vous even though each individual relationship is familiar. Number and social distance are separate reasons for the same grammatical form. Vous travaillez ici ? can therefore mean a question to one formal addressee or a question to a group. Context identifies which. Do not invent a separate familiar plural conjugation. When the group answers as we, the subject changes to nous or commonly on in conversation, and the verb must follow that new subject. A reply is not required to keep the grammatical person of the original question.
Vous travaillez ici ?
Do you work here, addressing two close friends together?
Several addressees require the plural address form even in a familiar relationship. The present ending matches that form. This is a number decision, so a rule that close friends always receive familiar singular grammar would fail for a group.
Vous êtes prêts ? Nous sommes prêts.
Are you ready? We are ready, with a male group answering.
The reply changes the viewpoint from the people being addressed to a group that includes the speaker. It therefore requires first person plural agreement. The adjective is plural because several people are ready, while the verb reflects the new subject.
References for this explanation
Match adjectives to the person or people
The verb after vous keeps its address form, but a describing adjective reflects the actual person or people. To one woman, Vous êtes prête ? uses a feminine singular adjective. To several women, Vous êtes prêtes ? uses feminine plural. To one man, the ordinary form is prêt. This distinction makes formal singular address different from blindly making every word plural. Adjective forms vary by vocabulary, so not every adjective displays all distinctions visibly or audibly. Begin with a clear example and identify separately the grammatical subject form, the number of real addressees, and the adjective’s agreement.
Vous êtes prête ?
Are you ready, addressing one woman formally?
The verb uses the formal address form, while the adjective describes one woman and is therefore feminine singular. Formality does not make the actual person plural. This example separates verb agreement with the pronoun from adjective agreement with the referent.
Vous êtes prêtes ?
Are you ready, addressing several women?
The adjective describes a genuinely plural feminine group, so it carries both the feminine and plural markers. The verb form happens to be the same as in formal singular address, but the adjective distinguishes the actual group in writing.
Negotiate familiarity instead of guessing
An invitation such as On peut se tutoyer ? asks whether the speakers can use familiar address. Treat this as a useful complete phrase; its additional verb grammar is beyond the regular present pattern practiced here. A positive response establishes a shared preference, after which familiar forms become appropriate. Practices differ across regions, generations, workplaces, and online communities, so a single age rule cannot settle every case. If you accidentally mix forms, a short correction is usually more useful than a long apology. Continue with the form the other person requests and keep its verb agreement consistent throughout the exchange.
On peut se tutoyer ? Oui, bien sûr. Tu travailles ici ?
After agreeing to familiar address, ask whether the other person works here.
The exchange has explicitly established familiar singular address, so this pronoun matches the new shared preference and the verb ending. The decision is supported by the conversation itself, rather than inferred from appearance or age.
Bonjour, madame. Vous êtes ici pour le cours ?
Greet an unfamiliar woman and ask formally whether she is here for class.
The greeting and context establish a formal singular exchange. The irregular verb takes the form associated with that address pronoun. The person’s gender does not change the verb form, though a later adjective might show feminine agreement.
Try the reasoning with less help
Build a sentence with this meaning: After agreeing to familiar address, ask whether the other person works here. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: After agreeing to familiar address, ask whether the other person works here. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The exchange has explicitly established familiar singular address, so this pronoun matches the new shared preference and the verb ending. The decision is supported by the conversation itself, rather than inferred from appearance or age.
- Now read the complete sentence, On peut se tutoyer ? Oui, bien sûr. Tu travailles ici ?. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
Compare your reasoning
On peut se tutoyer ? Oui, bien sûr. Tu travailles ici ? After agreeing to familiar address, ask whether the other person works here.
References for this explanation
Use the distinction through a complete conversation
Build a first exchange with a greeting, a name, one practical question, a response, and a closing. A simple question with est-ce que keeps the subject and verb visible, while an intonation question is common in conversation. Negatives keep the chosen address form: Vous ne travaillez pas ici ? A friendly tone does not automatically require tu, and a formal form does not prevent a warm greeting. Before completing the ordering game, say your own version aloud. Then compare who is speaking, whom each sentence addresses, and whether the chosen relationship remains consistent across the turns.
Est-ce que vous parlez anglais ?
Do you speak English, using formal address?
The question frame preserves subject and verb order. The verb ending agrees with the formal addressee form. The language name follows without an article in this speaking construction, so the complete question can be reused with another language name.
Tu ne travailles pas ici ?
Don’t you work here, addressing a close friend?
The negative words surround the finite verb, which still takes the familiar singular ending. The question uses intonation rather than an additional helper. Negation and question formation do not replace the underlying agreement between addressee and verb.
Notice the difference
Common mistakes
Change the whole pair
Instead ofVous parles français ?
For this meaningVous parlez français ?
The address pronoun and verb ending must agree. A familiar singular ending cannot remain when the subject changes to formal singular or plural you. Learn paired questions aloud, then inspect their written endings, since some person distinctions are clearer in spelling than in ordinary pronunciation.
Formal singular is one person
Instead ofVous êtes prêtes, madame ?
For this meaningVous êtes prête, madame ?
The prompt addresses one woman. The verb uses the formal address form, but the adjective remains feminine singular because it describes one actual person. Do not mechanically pluralize a description after this pronoun. The same sentence addressed to several women would require the plural adjective.
Keep both reflexive functions
Instead ofComment est-ce que vous appelez ?
For this meaningComment est-ce que vous vous appelez ?
The name question uses a reflexive construction. The first occurrence is the subject and the second is the reflexive word attached to the verb. Removing one does not merely simplify a repetition; it changes the construction and leaves the intended name question incomplete. Learn the whole question as a useful conversation unit.
From understanding to using
Make your own example.
Try these without answer choices. Say your answer aloud or write it below, then compare your reasoning with the model.
Your turn 1
Write a formal greeting and ask an unfamiliar adult whether they speak English.
Compare with a model
Bonjour. Est-ce que vous parlez anglais ?
Hello. Do you speak English?
The greeting opens the exchange without assuming a familiar relationship. The address pronoun and regular verb ending form a matching pair, and the question frame leaves them in statement order. The language name needs no article in this construction. Adapt the same question to a close friend by changing both the pronoun and the written verb ending, then explain why changing only one would create a mismatch.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Your turn 2
Ask one woman formally whether she is ready, then ask a group of women the same question.
Compare with a model
Vous êtes prête ? Vous êtes prêtes ?
Are you ready? Are you ready, everyone?
The subject and verb look identical in both questions because formal singular and plural address share that form. The adjective changes because the first situation involves one woman and the second several women. This contrast prevents a common mistake: treating a formal singular pronoun as evidence that every description must be plural. The group context, rather than the English translation alone, determines the adjective’s number.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Put it into practice
Make the next choice.
Choose a response and learn why it works. Your score reflects your first answer to each question. You can revisit anything you miss.
Choose an answer, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.
Question 1
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you speak French, addressing an unfamiliar adult formally?
___ parlez français ?
- Vous
- Tu
Check the answer
Answer: Vous
Vous: The prompt specifies a formal singular relationship, so the addressee pronoun takes the form also used for plural you. The verb ending agrees with that grammatical form. Social context is part of the answer, not merely a decorative detail around the sentence.
Tu: This would establish a familiar singular relationship that the prompt has not authorized. It also would not match the verb ending shown.
Question 2
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you speak French, addressing one established close friend?
___ parles français ?
- Vous
- Tu
Check the answer
Answer: Tu
Vous: This does not match the verb ending and would change the address relationship. Several addressees or a formal singular exchange require a different complete pair.
Tu: The relationship is already familiar and the addressee is one person. The pronoun and the written verb ending therefore form a matching pair. The same question could use another address form in another relationship, but that would be a different situation.
Question 3
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Are you here for the class, addressing a friend?
Tu ___ ici pour le cours ?
- es
- êtes
Check the answer
Answer: es
es: The familiar singular subject takes its irregular present form. The question uses statement order with rising intonation, so the verb does not move or gain an English style helper. The location and purpose phrases leave the subject agreement unchanged.
êtes: This form belongs with the other address pronoun. Formality cannot be expressed by changing only the verb while leaving the familiar subject.
Question 4
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you have a question, addressing someone formally?
Vous ___ une question ?
- as
- avez
Check the answer
Answer: avez
as: This form belongs with familiar singular you. Mixing it with the formal or plural subject breaks agreement.
avez: The addressee pronoun requires this irregular present form in both formal singular and plural use. The object is one question, but object number does not control the verb. Learn the complete subject and verb group as a reusable conversation unit.
Question 5
Complete the sentence for this meaning: What is your name, addressing someone formally?
Comment est-ce que vous vous ___ ?
- appelez
- appelles
Check the answer
Answer: appelez
appelez: The subject and reflexive word belong to the same addressee, and the finite verb takes the matching ending. The question frame leaves their order intact. The two identical small words serve different grammatical functions rather than being accidental repetition.
appelles: This ending fits familiar singular you, not the subject used here. The reflexive construction does not remove ordinary person agreement.
Question 6
Complete the sentence for this meaning: What is your name, addressing one friend?
Comment est-ce que tu ___ ?
- vous appelez
- t’appelles
Check the answer
Answer: t’appelles
vous appelez: That reflexive word and verb form belong with another subject. They cannot be mixed with familiar singular you in this construction.
t’appelles: The reflexive word matches the familiar singular subject and elides before the vowel. The verb also carries its familiar singular ending. This complete group is more reliable to learn than a literal English word order for the name question.
Question 7
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you work here, addressing two close friends together?
Vous ___ ici ?
- travaillez
- travailles
Check the answer
Answer: travaillez
travaillez: Several addressees require the plural address form even in a familiar relationship. The present ending matches that form. This is a number decision, so a rule that close friends always receive familiar singular grammar would fail for a group.
travailles: That ending is singular familiar. It cannot address the two people together with the plural subject shown.
Question 8
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Are you ready? We are ready, with a male group answering.
Vous êtes prêts ? Nous ___ prêts.
- êtes
- sommes
Check the answer
Answer: sommes
êtes: That keeps the addressee verb form after a subject meaning we. A reply must agree with its own subject rather than copy the question’s form.
sommes: The reply changes the viewpoint from the people being addressed to a group that includes the speaker. It therefore requires first person plural agreement. The adjective is plural because several people are ready, while the verb reflects the new subject.
Question 9
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Are you ready, addressing one woman formally?
Vous êtes ___ ?
- prête
- prêtes
Check the answer
Answer: prête
prête: The verb uses the formal address form, while the adjective describes one woman and is therefore feminine singular. Formality does not make the actual person plural. This example separates verb agreement with the pronoun from adjective agreement with the referent.
prêtes: That spelling is feminine plural. The prompt identifies one woman, so the adjective should not gain a plural ending merely because of the address pronoun.
Question 10
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Are you ready, addressing several women?
Vous êtes ___ ?
- prête
- prêtes
Check the answer
Answer: prêtes
prête: That is feminine singular. The prompt specifies several women, so the adjective needs its plural form.
prêtes: The adjective describes a genuinely plural feminine group, so it carries both the feminine and plural markers. The verb form happens to be the same as in formal singular address, but the adjective distinguishes the actual group in writing.
Question 11
Complete the sentence for this meaning: After agreeing to familiar address, ask whether the other person works here.
On peut se tutoyer ? Oui, bien sûr. ___ travailles ici ?
- Tu
- Vous
Check the answer
Answer: Tu
Tu: The exchange has explicitly established familiar singular address, so this pronoun matches the new shared preference and the verb ending. The decision is supported by the conversation itself, rather than inferred from appearance or age.
Vous: This would not match the verb form and would ignore the explicit switch established in the preceding exchange.
Question 12
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Greet an unfamiliar woman and ask formally whether she is here for class.
Bonjour, madame. Vous ___ ici pour le cours ?
- es
- êtes
Check the answer
Answer: êtes
es: That is the familiar singular form. It cannot be combined with the formal subject used in this sentence.
êtes: The greeting and context establish a formal singular exchange. The irregular verb takes the form associated with that address pronoun. The person’s gender does not change the verb form, though a later adjective might show feminine agreement.
Question 13
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you speak English, using formal address?
Est-ce que vous ___ anglais ?
- parlez
- parles
Check the answer
Answer: parlez
parlez: The question frame preserves subject and verb order. The verb ending agrees with the formal addressee form. The language name follows without an article in this speaking construction, so the complete question can be reused with another language name.
parles: That spelling belongs with the familiar singular subject. The question frame does not change the agreement required by the address form.
Question 14
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Don’t you work here, addressing a close friend?
Tu ne ___ pas ici ?
- travaillez
- travailles
Check the answer
Answer: travailles
travaillez: This belongs with formal singular or plural address. The familiar singular subject requires its own ending even in a negative question.
travailles: The negative words surround the finite verb, which still takes the familiar singular ending. The question uses intonation rather than an additional helper. Negation and question formation do not replace the underlying agreement between addressee and verb.
Conversation builder
Put a first exchange in order
Arrange the turns so that each response follows the question or invitation it answers. Use names, repeated information, and any change of address as clues.
- Bonjour. Je m’appelle Lina.
Hello. My name is Lina.
- Bonjour, Lina. Je m’appelle Marc. Vous êtes ici pour le cours ?
Hello, Lina. My name is Marc. Are you here for the class?
- Oui. Et vous ?
Yes. And you?
- Moi aussi. On peut se tutoyer ?
Me too. Can we use familiar address?
- Oui, bien sûr. Tu parles anglais ?
Yes, of course. Do you speak English?
- Oui, je parle anglais.
Yes, I speak English.
Keep the conversation going
What to practice next
Return to the production tasks after a break. Reconstruct your sentences without the models, compare the meaning and form, and repair any error by explaining its cause. Then use one sentence in a short exchange of your own.
Sources and editorial notes
By Loquus ·
Source checked with AI assistance
These original explanations synthesize the cited sources. They have not been certified by an independent human language specialist. Regional usage and context are described where they affect the answer. Report a correction in the discussion below.
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Introduction to pronouns
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Subject pronouns
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Être
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Avoir
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Aller
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Regular er verbs
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Yes or no questions
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Pronominal verbs
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Adjectives: formation and placement
- University of Texas, Tex’s French Grammar: Basic negation
Learning research behind the practice
Worked examples, retrieval practice, and later review inform the activities. These studies do not establish the effectiveness of this specific lesson.
- Karpicke and Roediger: The critical importance of retrieval for learning
- Butler and Roediger: Feedback enhances the positive effects and reduces the negative effects of multiple choice testing
- Institute of Education Sciences: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning
- Rittle Johnson and Star: Compared to what?