Slide 1 : How to use the « Tu » and « Vous » ?
Unlike in English, we have two pronouns corresponding to « you », tu and vous.To attribute the correct pronoun, we use the verb « tutoyer » (when you say « tu » to someone, and « vouvoyer » when you need to say « vous » Tu is the way you show a certain informality : you can say « tu » when you speak to : - a member of your family - a co-worker- a child (until 15) or a pet
- a close neighbour or relative you ‘ve known for years
On the contrary, use the « vous » when you adress :
- an older person (you need to show respect to them)
- someone you’ve never seen before (a sales assistant in a store, restaurant/hotel staff, a desk clerk…) or someone you don’t know well
- any representative of the authorithy (Mayor, politician, police, army, any VIP)
- any person you want to show respect.
- when you speak to a group of people..
- Only one rule : if you are in doubt : use « vous »
Slide 2 : Capitalization or no capitalization ?
Many words which need to be capitalized in English are not in French.
For instance :
Days of the week (lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi, dimanche) Months of the year (janvier, février, mars, avril, mai, juin juillet, août, septembre, octobre, novembre, décembre)
Languages : we write ….le français, le russe, l’espagnol, l’anglais (but un Français as a nationality) French adjectives are not capitalized, but nouns are.
Un Anglais, un Espagnol, un Russe, un Turc, un Grec…..
Geographical terms are not capitalized either :
L’océan Indien, la rue Mermoz, la mer Noire, l’isthme de Panama, le canal de Suez. AND HERE IS THE END OF THE BASIC NOTIONS OF THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU NEED TO GAIN ….!