तू / तुम / आप

Saying You

Level 1Sounds Like tū, tuma a'ura āpa

Awadhi has three words for you, and each one takes its own verb.

How It Works

Choosing the right you shows how you feel about the person.

WordUseIs
तूchildren, very close friendsअहस
तुमfriends, people your ageहौ
आपelders, strangersअहैं

The verb changes too. With तुम you say तुम जात हौ, with आप you say आप जात अहैं, and with तू you say तू जात अहस.

If you are not sure, use आप. It is never rude. If a friend starts using तुम or तू with you, you can answer in the same way. Keep using आप with an older person, even if they call you तुम or तू.

Do not mix them in one sentence. Say तुम जाव or आप जाइए, not तुम with जाइए. While you are learning, keep one form for each person through a conversation. Speakers also switch on purpose, which a later lesson explains.

Examples (5)

  1. तुम कहाँ हौ?

    Where are you?

    तुम goes with हौ.

  2. आप कहाँ अहैं?

    Where are you, sir or madam?

    आप goes with अहैं.

  3. तू का करत अहस?

    What are you doing?

    तू goes with अहस and is for a child or close friend.

  4. तुम चाय पियत हौ?

    Are you having tea?

    A friendly everyday question.

  5. आप चाय पियत अहैं?

    Are you having tea?

    The polite form of the same question.

How It Connects

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

तू / तुम / आपLevel 1Saying You

Learn This First

These three words are the respect levels put to use, so you need the idea of respect first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

तूतुमआप