tu / vos
Tu and Vos
Use tu with a friend, and vos to be polite or to speak to several people.
How It Works
| Verb | With tu | With vos |
|---|---|---|
| èsser | ès | sètz |
| aver | as | avètz |
| anar | vas | anatz |
| parlar | parlas | parlatz |
Use tu with a friend or a child. Use vos with someone you do not know well, to show respect, and with a group.
The verb follows the pronoun, not the number of people. When you speak politely to one person, you still use the plural verb: Vos sètz de Tolosa? and Cossí anatz?
The pronoun is often left out, and the verb alone shows your choice. Cossí vas? is friendly. Cossí anatz? is polite. Pick one form and keep it through the whole conversation.
Examples (4)
- Tu ès de Tolosa?
Are you from Toulouse?
A friendly question: ès goes with tu.
- Vos sètz de Nimes?
Are you from Nîmes?
Polite or plural: vos takes sètz.
- Cossí vas, Joan?
How are you, Joan?
Vas is the tu form, for a friend.
- Cossí anatz, Marta?
How are you, Marta?
Polite to one person, but anatz is plural.
Common Mistakes
Using vos with a singular verb.
Vos ès content?Vos sètz content?Vos always takes the plural verb, even for one person.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The choice between tu and vos shows in the verb, so the present of èsser comes first.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice tu / vos in Bubblegum
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