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EPISODE 5:

Welcome back to another episode of our linguistic journey, examining the intricacies of French that no classroom will teach you. Today, we're diving into the nuanced world of "VOUS." This pronoun may seem straightforward, but it carries significant implications in conversation, cultural contexts, and even in the philosophy of language learning itself.

In this episode, we will explore the importance of knowing how to use "VOUS" correctly, as it can often be confusing for learners. I’ll share a personal story from my school interview as a kid to highlight this point.

Usage of VOUS:

We will delve into who "VOUS" should be used with, typically anyone older than you or in a service role. We will discuss how "VOUS" replaces "tu" for formality and respect, and how it functions as a second-person plural, unlike English which often uses "you guys." I will explain that English lacks a distinct second-person plural, causing confusion for learners. A useful trick is to think, "You guys are in the room with us, they are not in the room with us." Use "VOUS" for "you guys."

Conjugation:

Next, we’ll cover how to conjugate verbs with "VOUS."

Pronunciation:

We'll focus on real conversational French pronunciation, addressing common mispronunciations in English such as bending the vowel sound. We’ll also discuss pronunciation examples with and without liaison through casual and normal questions like:

• Casual: "Vous allez bien?" (How are you all?), "Vous venez souvent ici?" (Do you come here often?)
• Normal: "Est-ce que vous avez des baguettes?" (Do you have any baguettes?), "J'ai vu que vous vendez des croissants." (I saw that you sell croissants.)

Question Structure:

We will contrast "Est-ce que" questions with informal questions using "VOUS":

• "Est-ce que vous allez au marché?" (Are you going to the market?) vs. "Vous allez au marché?" (Going to the market?)
• "Est-ce que vous comprenez?" (Do you understand?) vs. "Vous comprenez?" (Understand?)

Stress Pronouns:

We’ll discuss the importance of first-person plural and second-person plural as stress pronouns in French, their presence in object pronouns and reflexive verbs, with examples like:

• "C’est vous qui avez dit ça." (It’s you guys who said this.)
• "C’est vous que j’ai vu." (It’s you I saw.)
• "C’est vous?" (Is it you?)

Object Pronouns:

We’ll include examples of "VOUS" as an object pronoun:

• "Je vous vois." (I see you.)
• "Ils vont venir vous voir plus tard." (They will come to see you later.)
• "Je vais vous aider." (I will help you.)

Reflexive Verbs:

We’ll illustrate "VOUS" in reflexive verbs, reminding listeners that "VOUS" remains consistent:

• "Vous vous souvenez de moi?" (Do you remember me?)
• "Vous vous appelez comment?" (What is your name?)
• "Vous vous intéressez à quoi?" (What are you interested in?)

Cultural and Emotional Impact:

We’ll compare the use of "VOUS" as stress pronouns and subject pronouns with examples of second-person singular vs. second-person plural:

• "Tu as fait ça." (You did this - informal)
• "Vous avez fait ça." (You did this - formal/plural) We’ll also discuss the concept of second-person plural in possessive words like "vos affaires" (your things).

Remember, you can find me on Instagram @chaseinfrench, and if you don’t have Instagram, feel free to email me at chaseinfrench@gmail.com.

So, whether you're a beginner or looking to polish your French, join us for an episode that promises to deepen your understanding and appreciation of this crucial pronoun.