Practice Makes Perfect

On parle français en Belgique. 

People ( They) speak French in Belgium.

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Appendix B: Grammatical terminology for verbs 

559

Note that in informal French, on is frequently used instead of nous. 

On s’aime. 

We love each other.

There are two ways to express you in French.

1. 

The pronoun tu is familiar singular and is used to address one person whom one would 

call by his/her first name in France, i.e., a family member, a good friend or colleague, a 

fellow student, or a child. Tu is also used when praying to God and when talking to  

a pet.

2. 

The pronoun vous is both singular and plural formal and addresses one adult or a num-

ber of adults whom one doesn’t know very well (strangers, service personnel, professional 

contacts, acquaintances, etc.). It is also the plural of tu, i.e., used when speaking to more 

than one family member, close friend, fellow student, or child.

In the exercises in this book, fam. ( familiar) indicates that tu should be used, pol.  

( polite) indicates that vous should be used to translate you.

There are two ways to express they in French.