Difference between 奥さん、妻 and 家内?

Question:

I have been wondering which to use (well, when to use "kanai" and when to use tsuma to be more precise). I know that okusan is for someone else's wife whereas tsuma and kanai for ones own wife but not the difference between kanai and tsuma.

So when to use which (especially between kanai and okusan) is my question.

Also, if I want to talk about wives in general, which should I use? Or does that depend on the circumstances as well?

Thanks in advance!

Answer:

It's interesting because a married man's impression (generation, region etc.) is roughly judged by how the person addresses his wife...

奥さん should be used between friends / informal (heard among younger generation)
妻 sounds the most common wording, but mostly in written / formal
家内 heard in business talk / at work/ his 50's (not too informal) / sounds intellectual (to me)

So if you talk to your friend about your wife, 奥さん would be fine.

------- In addition;
女房 nyoubou: his 60's or his marriage life should be longer/ could be a 演歌 enka fan
--> Once my husband (non-Japanese) said "watashino nyoubou ga..." at his work, everybody laughed out... (the wording simply doesn't match a foreigner)
連合い tsureai: ditto　
上さん kami-san: Most my male friends use this (Tokyo region)
嫁さん yome-san: literally means "the one who came to our family (=bride)"
I think it's used more in West Japan. Personally I don't like this expression...
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