Respect and Address

FoundationsSounds Like ādara sē bōlaba

You pick तू, तुम or आप by how close you are, and you use a plural verb for people you respect.

How It Works

Awadhi has three ways to say you, and the verb changes with each.

WordUse withTo be
तूclose friends, children, younger familyअहस
तुमfriendly everyday talkहौ
आपelders, strangers, customersअहैं

Respect also reaches people you talk about. For a grandmother, an uncle or a teacher, the verb is plural: दादी आवत अहैं, not दादी आवत अहै. Adding जी after a name or family word is another sign of respect: चाचा जी.

When in doubt, use तुम with people your age and आप with anyone older or new to you. तू can sound rude with a stranger, so keep it for people you know well.

Many Awadhi speakers also use तुम with younger people in the family, and आप for in-laws. The form you hear in your family is the right one to copy.

Examples (5)

  1. तुम कहाँ जात हौ?

    Where are you going?

    तुम takes हौ.

  2. आप कहाँ जात अहैं?

    Where are you going, sir or madam?

    आप takes the plural helper अहैं.

  3. तू का करत अहस?

    What are you doing?

    तू is for a close friend or a child, and takes अहस.

  4. चाचा जी आवत अहैं।

    Uncle is coming.

    One respected person, but the verb is plural.

  5. दादी रोटी बनावत अहैं।

    Grandmother is making roti.

    अहैं shows respect for दादी.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a singular verb for an elder.

    चाचा जी आवत अहै।
    चाचा जी आवत अहैं।

    A respected person takes the plural helper अहैं.

  • Pairing आप with the तुम helper.

    आप चाय पियत हौ?
    आप चाय पियत अहैं?

    आप takes अहैं, not हौ.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Respect and AddressFoundations

Learn This First

Choosing how to address someone starts with reading the three words for you.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

तूतुमआपजी