# Ukrainian: forms of "you"



## arhall2

Hi all,
I'm running into a bit of confusion about which form of "you" to use.  So far I have picked up on ти as the standard 2nd person (the equivalent of tu in French).  I have also seen ви used.  Is this used for plural 2nd person and also as a formal version of ти (as vous does for tu in French)?  I'm also confused about the word тебе.  I think this may be the equivalent of toi in French.  
So...
If I wanted to say you are ___________, would I use ти _______?
And if someone said: Як справи?  I would respond: добре, a тебе?

Any help on how to use these terms would be great.  Sorry to use French, but it's the only other language I'm comfortable with and in English it doesn't really change forms.


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## Orlin

As far as I know, all Slavic languages except Polish use cognates of _ти_ for 2nd p. sg. (informal - to friends, relatives and children under 18) and cognates of _ви_ for 2nd p. pl (when formally addressing just one person and for all groups of 2+ people). When 2nd p. pl. pronouns refer to just one person (polite), they're capitalized unlike the case they refer to a group of people.
In Slavic languages personal pronouns decline: _тебе_ is genitive or accusative case.


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## Selyd

Добрий вечір!
*you* - ти (to the friend)
*you* - ви (to friends)
*you* - Ви (To the father, mother, teacher ...)
1. *Ти* йдеш додому
2. Лист від *тебе*
3. *Тобі* передає вітання arhall
4. Ми чекаємо *тебе* 
5. Це зроблене *тобою*
6. Вони балакають про *тебе*
7. _Кличний відмінок відсутній_
*Як справи?* I would respond: *Добре, a в тебе*?
Але краще- *Як здоров'я?* I would respond: *Дякую, a як ти себе почуваєш*?


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## Ayazid

Selyd said:


> *you* - Ви (To the father, mother, teacher ...)



It's common to use Ви with parents in Ukrainian?


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## tyhryk

Ayazid said:


> It's common to use Ви with parents in Ukrainian?


Yes, it's often use in the West of Ukraine and rarely in the others regions of Ukraine. For example, a question "Mother, what are You doing now?" is translating as "Мамо, що *Ви* зараз робите?"


arhall2 said:


> If I wanted to say you are ___________, would I use ти _______?
> And if someone said: Як справи? I would respond: добре, a тебе


1. Yes, You should use *ти* = you 
2. Your answers can be "Добре, а в тебе?" or "Добре, а ти як?"


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## Selyd

Ayazid said:


> It's common to use Ви with parents in Ukrainian?


 Тільки *Ви*. Але молодь зараз цього не дотримується.
Even when about them speak. Мама *сказали*, щоб ти принесла води.


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## tyhryk

Ayazid said:


> It's common to use Ви with parents in Ukrainian?


Another example:
Father, where are You going? = Тату, куди Ви йдете?
Using "ти" in this example:
(Father, where are you going? = Тату, куди ти йдеш?)
Ukrainian children and youth often use "Ви" in the conversation with their parents or relatives, but it's not obligatory, also may it be "ти".


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## tyhryk

Selyd said:


> Тільки *Ви*.


No, not only "Ви", can use "ти" also.


Selyd said:


> Але молодь зараз цього не дотримується.


You mistake. 


Selyd said:


> Even when about them speak. Мама *сказали*, щоб ти принесла води.


Mother said you bring her a water. = Мама сказала, щоб ти принесла води. (the verbs use as for singular noun). 
Mother, bring me a water = Мамо, принесіть мені води. (here is an appeal "Ви" and the verb uses as for plural noun).


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## Selyd

tyhryk said:


> You mistake.


 Уважно читайте написане. В моєму дитинстві не сміли *тикати*.
Навіть язик би не повернувся. Мова йде про українські родини.
Навіть в третій особі говорили на *Ви*.
_Дядько передали... Мама наказали.. Тато сваритимуть..._
Мова йшла не про сьогодні.
Spoke only on "Ви" earlier.
Now on "ти" exists, but is not absolute.


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## ectuohy

"I'm also confused about the word тебе.  I think this may be the equivalent of toi in French.  


Тебе is indeed like French_ toi _in the sense that it's a different case of the same pronoun; English has one (you), French three (tu, te, toi), and Ukrainian four (ти, тебе, тобі, тобою)

_Toi _works with any preposition (technically it's called a "disjunctive pronoun"),but in Ukrainian there are rules that "govern" which is used. This sounds complicated but isn't, esp. once you've been hearing/using the language for a bit!

Three quick examples to make it clearer:
après toi=після тебе
à toi=тобі [in the "indirect object" sense, like "He gave a book to you the other day"
avec toi= з тобою


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## Aromathérapie

tyhryk said:


> Yes, it's often use in the West of Ukraine and rarely in the others regions of Ukraine. For example, a question "Mother, what are You doing now?" is translating as "Мамо, що *Ви* зараз робите?"
> 
> 1. Yes, You should use *ти* = you
> 2. Your answers can be "Добре, а в тебе?" or "Добре, а ти як?"



Yes in West of Ukraine AND in other parts of Ukraine in villages or rural areas.

My mother used Ви to speak to her parents while my father used Ти when speaking to his parents.

I used to speak Ти to my mother but recently I decided I better use Ви when speaking with her She accepted this with understanding and even some humour


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