tutoyons

Tutoyons is the first-person plural present tense of the French verb tutoyer, meaning to address someone with the informal second-person pronoun tu rather than the formal vous. The related noun tutoiement denotes this practice. In everyday French, choosing between tu and vous conveys information about familiarity, social distance, and politeness.

Usage and social context: The switch from vous to tu depends on relationship, setting, and cultural norms. Tutoiement commonly occurs among close friends, family, peers of similar age, or in informal workplace cultures. In many Francophone communities, the transition to tutoiement is initiated by mutual agreement or by a person in a leadership or mentoring role. The process can be gradual and may require consent, often framed as a question such as “On se tutoie ?” or “Tu veux que je te tutoie?” Using tu toward a stranger or a superior without invitation can be perceived as disrespectful or overly familiar, so careful cue-reading or explicit permission is advised.

Regional variation: Attitudes toward tutoiement vary by country, region, age group, and setting. In some environments, such as startups and creative industries, tutoiement can be common early on, while in formal institutions or traditional contexts, vous remains standard until a clear agreement is reached. Sociolinguistic studies note that changes in tutoiement reflect broader social dynamics, including questions of equality and social distance.

See also: tutoyer, tutoiement, vouvoyer.