What are the rules for "vousvoying" and "tutoying" in France?

Question

I'm in Eastern Ontario, and francophones here pretty much always tutoy. I just watched "A Bout de Souffle" and Patricia and Michel vousvoy each other. Is that just because it's an old movie. How are tu and vous used now in France?

Answer 1

Whoa, when I saw your question heading I thought: "gee, that sounds rude"! :-)

Anybody who's older than you is still vous, I think...

Answer 2

Vous is for those you do not know and sometimes in upper class between husband and wife but that is very traditional.

Tu is for the familiar and children.

So in most cases as you wont know anyone address them with vous.

Answer 3

"tutoying" someone is much more relaxed and casual than "vousvoying" someone.

You generally "tutoy" someone if they are your family (as long as they are very close and not old fashioned); your friends; and people your own age or younger in social settings.

You "vousvoy" someone who is older than you (especially if they are old fashioned, sometimes even family); someone who has authority over you and/or has a heightened status.

Answer 4

you use the term # vous # if you do not know the person,

and # tu # if it is a friend,

often, people ask that you pass from the stage of # tu # to make it more friendly, but you must never say # tu # on first meeting a person,

it would be rude to say # tu # immediately ,

Answer 5

well I know that people from Quebec say "tu" much more often than us, even to strangers, maybe that's the same habit for francophile Americans ...(are you talking about Acadians?)