siz

Second Person Plural or Polite Pronoun

Level 1

Siz is the Azerbaijani word for 'you'. It is used when talking to more than one person (plural) or when talking to one person in a formal or respectful way (polite singular).

How It Works

The pronoun siz serves two primary roles in Azerbaijani social interaction:

1. Plural 'You': Used whenever you are addressing two or more people, regardless of how close you are to them.
2. Polite Singular 'You': Used to show respect to a single individual. This is the standard for speaking to teachers, doctors, older relatives, or people you do not know well.

Grammatical Agreement:
When siz is the subject, the verb or predicate takes a second-person plural ending, such as the suffix -sınız/-siniz/-sunuz/-sünüz. This suffix follows vowel harmony:

  • -siniz (after e, ə, i): Siz müəllimsiniz. (You are a teacher.)
  • -sınız (after a, ı): Siz hardasınız? (Where are you?)
  • -sünüz (after ö, ü): Siz sürücüsünüz. (You are a driver.)
  • -sunuz (after o, u): Siz yorğunsunuz. (You are tired.)

Case Declension:
Like nouns, siz changes its form based on its role in the sentence:

Examples (4)

  1. Siz harada yaşayırsınız?

    Where do you live? (Formal or Plural)

    Word by Word: You where-at live-you?

    Uses the formal pronoun 'siz' and the matching verb ending '-sınız'.

  2. Siz çox mehribansınız.

    You are very kind.

    Word by Word: You very kind-are-you.

    A common polite compliment using the nominal predicate ending.

  3. Bağışlayın, siz məni tanıyırsınız?

    Excuse me, do you know me?

    Word by Word: Excuse, you me know-you?

    Standard formal way to address a stranger.

  4. Sizin kitabınız buradadır.

    Your book is here.

    Word by Word: Your book-your here-is.

    Shows the genitive form 'sizin' (your) paired with the possessive suffix on the noun.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the singular verb ending with 'siz'.

    Siz necəsən?
    Siz necəsiniz?

    Even if you are talking to one person, if you use 'siz', the verb must always be in the plural form (-siniz).

  • This sentence is fine with a friend, but 'sən' is too direct for a stranger or superior.

    Different MeaningSən kimisən?
    Siz kimsiniz?

    Using the informal 'sən' with someone you don't know well can be perceived as rude or disrespectful.

How It Connects

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

sizLevel 1Second Person Plural or Polite Pronoun

Learn This First

To understand 'siz', learners need to grasp the concept of formal vs. informal address and how this pronoun triggers specific plural/polite agreement suffixes on nouns and verbs.

Words in This Pattern