Is it true that we're not allowed to say "and with your spirit" outside of Church? We can only say "and also with you?
Good question!
In the liturgy, we only say "And with your spirit" to an ordained minister (bishop, priest, or deacon). "And also with you," though, is something that can be said to anybody. That's one of the reasons why the Latin "et cum spiritu tuo" was rendered more literally in the new translation.
In the liturgy, we only respond to the presiding minister with these words when we're about to receive a grace. Check it out the next time you're at Mass... what comes shortly after each one of the "And with your spirits"?
So given that context, it really isn't a phrase we would toss around too freely. We have plenty of other phrases for that. :-) Make sense?
God bless you!
- Father Shane