Buying street drugs in francophone countries.

keanooo

I have recently moved to a francophone country. When approaching a dealer to buy street drugs should one use the formal "vous" or the more informal "tu"?

I understand that under normal circumstances introducing yourself to an adult "vous" would be more "comme il faut". It does, however, seem incongruous, under the circumstances described.

Aidez-moi s'il vous plait!

Samson

Fine line.
Please clarify that you are merely using this subject as an example...

O.

Would you engage a drug dealer in an English speaking country by: Hello my good Sir ?

Then you have your answer.
And never get something in the streets in France, they'll scam you.

keanooo

Samson wrote: »

Fine line.
Please clarify that you are merely using this subject as an example...

I have recently moved to a francophone country. When approaching a dealer to buy street drugs should one use the formal "vous" or the more informal "tu"?

I understand that under normal circumstances introducing yourself to an adult "vous" would be more "comme il faut". It does, however, seem incongruous, under the circumstances described.

Aidez-moi s'il vous plait!

Yes of course Samson. It is one of many hypothetical examples that I could have chosen to illustrate the potential tu/vous minefield that one threads daily in francophone countries...

keanooo

O. wrote: »

Would you engage a drug dealer in an English speaking country by: Hello my good Sir ?

Then you have your answer.
And never get something in the streets in France, they'll scam you.

That is not the answer. In European francophone countries you generally do not address someone you have never met before informally.

Less flippancy please, my good Sir.

whodoneit

.

The Scientician

Monsieur, avez-vous le cracque pour moi, s'il vous plait?

Bien sûr. A la Blarney Stone pub, 243 Rue Ste. Marie. Tournez a gauche au bas de cette rue ci.

MyKeyG

keanooo wrote: »

That is not the answer. In European francophone countries you generally do not address someone you have never met before informally.

Less flippancy please, my good Sir.

http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/grammar/tu_and_vous.shtml

shrapnel222

never use "vous" lol!!! "tu" all the way

ideally you say someting like,

salut man, dis moi, on peut faire du bizness?

he'll reply: ca depend, tu cherches quoi?

you then say: un peu de beuh/chichon/ des taz etc...

then negotiate price...

good luck :D

keanooo

shrapnel222 wrote: »

never use "vous" lol!!! "tu" all the way

ideally you say someting like,

salut man, dis moi, on peut faire du bizness?

he'll reply: ca depend, tu cherches quoi?

you then say: un peu de beuh/chichon/ des taz etc...

then negotiate price...

good luck :D

Thank you. Most helpful. Just to clarify never use "tu" refers only the hypothetical example I gave above. You don't mean never use "tu" ever, do you?

I got burnt with the Madame / Madamoiselle thing earlier... but that's another day's thread.

shrapnel222

keanooo wrote: »

Thank you. Most helpful. Just to clarify never use "tu" refers only the hypothetical example I gave above. You don't mean never use "tu" ever, do you?

I got burnt with the Madame / Madamoiselle thing earlier... but that's another day's thread.

use tu, never vous

O.

keanooo wrote: »

That is not the answer. In European francophone countries you generally do not address someone you have never met before informally.

Less flippancy please, my good Sir.

Dude, French is my mothertongue. You'll never use "vous" or too polite forms when talking to a drug dealer nowhere in the world, where do you leave? Beverly Hills 90210?

Red Hand

"Ou est la Clarky Cat, s'il vous plait?"

tolosenc

"Salut mon cem, skon fé du bizness?" "Sk me ferait kiffer, c'est du beuh, tu m'piges?"

keanooo

tolosenc wrote: »

"Salut mon cem, skon fé du bizness?" "Sk me ferait kiffer, c'est du beuh, tu m'piges?"

Word...

tolosenc

keanooo wrote: »

Word...

Generally, in the banlieu, it's about being as incomprehensible as possible.