If you are refering "vous" formally to single person would "Vous n'êtes pas arrivé en retard". Arrivé without the "s".
Vous n'êtes pas arrivés en retard
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STEPHEN W.Kwiziq community member
Vous n'êtes pas arrivés en retard
This question relates to:French lesson "Ne ... pas = Not - with compound tenses (French Negations)"
Asked 2 years ago
Hi Stephen,
Yes, you are correct that if you were talking to a person you didn't know very well you would say
Vous n'êtes pas arrivé en retard
and arrivé wouldn't have a final -s.
The question asked was however in the plural and it was asking you to write the following statement in a negative form -
Vous êtes arrivés en retard
so arrivés with an -s
Hope this helps!
Jim J. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Hi Stephen,
You raise an interesting point.
On the face of it, no! in my opinion.
"Vous" is the second person plural but if the context made it particularly clear that a single person was being expressed then perhaps it would be acceptable to write "Vous n'êtes pas arrivé".
I look forward to reading other opinions on this point.
Jim
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