The words tu and vous both mean you, but the
choice between the two words in French depends on the person being
addressed.
As a general rule, tu is always
used to address a single person, but it's used also to adress
somebody in similar social situation, similar social situation means
things like:
Your role in the current "speech
context"
Job status (junior vs. boss)
Where the person you're speaking to fits in your
"social network"
Your attitude towards the person you're speaking
to.
So the choice of tu or vous has to
do with age, but also to do with other things.It
is used to show respect or maintain a certain distance or formality with
someone.
Use vous when speaking to :
someone
you don't know well
an
older person
an
authority figure
anyone to whom you
wish to show respect
Use tu when speaking
to one:
friend
peer
/ colleague
relative
child
Here are some more concrete examples:
Pupil to teacher (vous):This is an analoguous
situation to the 'hierarchy gap' mentioned above.
Young child to adult (vous): A young child
talking to an adult.
Teacher to primary school
pupil(tu):"tu" is generally used for talking to young
children in any social situation.
