On peut se tutoyer - Essential French Expression


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Informal French Expression

Meaning	Can we use tu with each other?
Register	informal
Pronunciation		[o(n) peu seu tu twah yay]
IPA		[õ pø sə ty twa je]

Usage notes: When you think it might be acceptable to use tu with someone but you’re not quite sure, there’s an easy and polite way to find out: just ask On peut se tutoyer ? The other person will (almost definitely) say yes, and then voilà – you’re all set.

You can use this expression upon meeting someone, when it seems like it might be a tu kind of situation, or after knowing them for a while, when you’ve become friends.

Variations

Peut-on se tutoyer ?
On se tutoie ?

Par exemple…

– Nous sommes voisines depuis cinq ans… on se tutoie ? – D’accord.		– We’ve been neighbors for five years… can we use tu? – OK.
– Hélène, je te présente mon frère, Daniel. – Bonjour Daniel, enchantée. On peut se tutoyer ? – Oui, bien sûr.		– Hélène, this is my brother Daniel. – Hello Daniel, it’s nice to meet you. Can we use tu? – Yes, of course.