you
yoo
You (pronoun) means the person or people being spoken or written to. Example: “Can you help me carry this box?”
pronoun
1
The person or people being spoken or written to.
"Can you help me carry this box?"
"You all did a great job today."
"Did you remember to lock the front door?"
2
Used informally to mean "anyone" or "one" in general statements.
"You can't always get what you want."
"In this job, you learn to expect the unexpected."
"If you heat ice, it turns into water."
How to use you
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe word for the person (or people) someone is talking to.
Memory tip
Modern English uses "you" for both one person and many people — older English used "thou" for one and "ye"/"you" for more than one.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
you and I
thank you
you know
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Word forms
- Singular
- yourself
- Plural
- yourselves, ye, yous
- Third person singular
- yous
- Past tense
- youed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Can _____ help me carry this box?
Etymology
From Old English ēow, the object form of "ye," tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "you" (plural).
Related words
Rhymes for you
See all rhymes for you →Frequently asked questions
What does “you” mean?
The word “you” means the person or people being spoken or written to. In plain terms, the word for the person (or people) someone is talking to.
How do you pronounce “you”?
“You” is pronounced yoo (/jə/ in IPA).
How do you use “you” in a sentence?
Here is “you” used in a sentence: “Can you help me carry this box?”
What is another word for “you”?
Words with a similar meaning to “you” include yer, thee, ye, to you, to thee and to ye.
What part of speech is “you”?
“You” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “you” come from?
The word “you” comes from Old English. From Old English ēow, the object form of "ye," tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "you" (plural).
Is “you” a common word?
“You” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “you” have?
“You” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the person or people being spoken or written to.
Is "you" singular or plural?
"You" is both: modern English uses the same word whether addressing one person or many. When the plural meaning needs to be explicit, speakers add markers such as "you two", "you all", or informal regional forms like "y'all."
What is the difference between "you" and "one" in general statements?
Both can refer to people in general: "You can never be too careful" or "One can never be too careful." "You" is the natural everyday choice, while "one" sounds formal and appears more in careful writing. Whichever you choose, stay consistent within the sentence.
Should you use "you" in formal essays?
Academic and formal writing usually avoids the generic "you" because it addresses the reader directly and can sound casual. Common alternatives are "one", the passive voice, or naming the group you mean: "students", "readers", "people."
Are "y'all" and "you guys" correct English?
They are widely used informal plurals that fill the gap left by "you" serving both singular and plural roles. "Y'all" is characteristic of the southern United States and "you guys" of casual speech elsewhere; both are fine in conversation but avoided in formal writing.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing you in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
You just operated a piece of machinery and took it up 30,000 feet.
From
CNN · Jul 25, 2026
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