Du aber Sie?

[scooterscot]

I must be getting to know my cleaner, as she proclaimed 'du ist ok!

I've known others for longer and using the informal version of 'you' gets you a dirty look.

[mudskipper]

I must be getting to know my cleaner, as she proclaimed 'du ist ok!

I've known others for longer and using the informal version of 'you' gets you a dirty look.

You are KentPhilip and I claim my five spit and polishes.

[cojak]

Ask Suity, he'll know the ins und aus of these things...

[KentPhilip]

You are KentPhilip and I claim my five spit and polishes.

Exactly.

Oi scooterscot stop pretending to be my sockie!

[cojak]

but I was deflated when I thought that I'd got a simple but reasonable grasp of French while working in Switzerland, only to be told by a colleague that the only time they speak the way I did was when talking to a taxi driver - ie a complete stranger.

It had taken me so long to get my head around another language that I couldn't face learning what was essentially a third language so I gave up altogether.

[scooterscot]

I couldn't face learning what was essentially a third language so I gave up altogether.

What's the 2nd? Welsh dosnae count.

[cojak]

What's the 2nd? Welsh dosnae count.

Formal (the stuff you learn from Michel Thomas et. al.) French.

[scooterscot]

Formal (the stuff you learn from Michel Thomas et. al.) French.

In the end I got irritated with his style, the nice chap that he is in all. Too much chatting.

[NotAllThere]

German speaking Switzerland is all "du" and first names between colleagues in their 40s or below. Above that it tends to "Sie" and Herr/Frau and surname. I believe the same trend is happening in Germany, and in France (some what more slowly) with vous/tu.

Sie/du and vous/tu is no more difficult than you/thee.

[scooterscot]

Sie/du and vous/tu is no more difficult than you/thee.

It's the knowing / when to use / the situation that throws me off.