How do I address my French host family?

Question

I am a 20 year old college student studying in France. I'm staying a few days with a host family before I can move into apartment and I don't know if I am supposed to use the formal or informal register (vous/tu), or if I am supposed to start formal and switch over at some mysterious point. The text books tell me to err on the side of formal, but my experiences with the friends, family, and acquaintances of my boyfriend have got me second-guessing myself. Anybody know what the best approach would be? I don't think I can make it three and a half days avoiding the word "you!"

Answer 1

elloooo guuvnaahh!  

Answer 2

See how they address you. Once you've cracked the "tu" then you're home free. German is even more difficult knowing when you are "auf du" with someone.  

Answer 3

"Tu" is regularly given titled to someone extremely familiar, someone on your same "level of importance" or a friend. "Vous" is used for recent friends, professionals, elders, people of great respect, or people you aren't too introduced to yet.

Your choice really, I'd go with vous.

Answer 4

On the Price is Right for example when people win those big prizes they ofter have to sell them to pay the taxes.

Answer 5

I would go with formal if I were you. If you're only seeing them three and a half days, just use that. If you're seeing them after that, keep using it until you feel buddy-buddy with them or they tell you that you can lighten up.

Answer 6

Ask them... I don't know when they write to you do they sign with their first names or do they sign with their family names..  That is the big problem in other countries.. in English you can use ''You for everything but in most other countries they have the formal ''vous'' or in Germany ''Sie''.. When I went to language school and I was 18 we had an unmarried teacher named Mademoiselle Martin.. I was in a beginners class in French then and she was only about 25.. but she looked at me as if I had committed a grave sin because I used the informal form when I talked to her.. so unless they tell you to call them by their first names.. then you do say toi if you address one of them but if you address husband and wife together even if it's informal that in French is vous... like you in English plural form...and if they want you to call them by their surname then call them Madame et Monsieur xxxx and vous  

Answer 7

With a kiss?