вы

Plural and Polite You

Level 1Sounds Like vy

Вы means "you" for a group, and it is also the polite way to speak to one person.

How It Works

Belarusian has two words for "you". Ты is for one friend, family member, child or peer. Вы covers everything else: any group of people, and one person you address politely.

The verb is always plural with вы. This is true even when you speak to one person: Вы з Мінска? (Are you from Minsk?), Вы ведаеце? (Do you know?), and in the past Вы былі ў Гродне? (Have you been to Hrodna?). See the вы verb endings and polite Вы agreement.

Case forms. Вы changes like other pronouns: вас (genitive and accusative), вам (dative), вамі (instrumental) and (аб) вас (locative). You meet вас right away in Як вас завуць? (What is your name?, polite).

Capital letter. In letters, emails and official messages to one person, the polite pronoun is often written with a capital letter: Вы, Вас, Вам. In ordinary text and when speaking to a group, write it with a small letter.

Staying consistent. Once you choose вы with someone, keep it. Switching to ты is a step you usually agree on together.

Examples (6)

  1. Вы з Мінска?

    Are you from Minsk?

    Polite вы to one person you have just met.

  2. Дзеці, вы гатовыя?

    Kids, are you ready?

    Plural вы to a group, even a group of children.

  3. Прабачце, вы не ведаеце, дзе вакзал?

    Excuse me, do you know where the station is?

    A polite question to a stranger uses the plural verb ведаеце.

  4. Як вас завуць?

    What is your name?

    Word by Word: How you they-call?

    Вас is the accusative form of вы.

  5. Спадарыня Ганна, ці можаце Вы прыйсці заўтра?

    Ms. Hanna, can you come tomorrow?

    In a letter or message to one person, the polite Вы is often capitalized.

  6. Мы вам дапаможам.

    We will help you.

    Вам is the dative form of вы.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the ты verb form with вы.

    Вы ведаеш, дзе вакзал?
    Вы ведаеце, дзе вакзал?

    Вы always takes the plural verb ending, here -еце, even when it means one person.

  • Using a singular past form with polite вы.

    Вы была ў Мінску?
    Вы былі ў Мінску?

    In the past tense, polite вы takes the plural form былі, whatever the listener's gender.

How It Connects

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выLevel 1Plural and Polite You

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Вы is learned against ты.

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