ти / Вие
Familiar Ти and Polite Вие
Say ти to a friend and Вие to someone you address politely. Polite Вие takes the plural verb: Ти откъде си? but Вие откъде сте?
How It Works
Who gets which.
- Ти: friends, family, children, and usually classmates and young people among themselves.
- Вие: strangers, shop and office staff, teachers, doctors and older people you do not know well.
Bulgarians move from Вие to ти by agreement: Може ли да си говорим на ти? (Can we say ти to each other?)
Verb forms. Ти takes singular forms and Вие takes plural ones:
- ти си, ти имаш, ти говориш
- Вие сте, Вие имате, Вие говорите
The other forms change too: Благодаря ти or Благодаря Ви (thank you), твой or Ваш (your). Many greetings come in pairs: здравей/здравейте, как си/как сте, извинете/извинявай and заповядай/заповядайте.
Describing the person. An adjective after сте stays singular and matches the person you are talking to: Вие сте много любезен (to a man), Вие сте много любезна (to a woman).
Capital letters. In letters, emails, invitations and forms, the polite forms are capitalized: Вие, Вас, Ви, Ваш. Plural вие for a group of friends stays lowercase. See ние/вие/те.
Examples (6)
- Ти откъде си?
Where are you from? (to a friend)
Word by Word: You from-where are?
Ти takes the singular form си.
- Вие откъде сте?
Where are you from? (polite)
Word by Word: You from-where are?
Polite Вие takes the plural form сте.
- Как сте, госпожо Иванова?
How are you, Mrs Ivanova?
Word by Word: How are, madam Ivanova?
- Извинете, говорите ли английски?
Excuse me, do you speak English?
Word by Word: Excuse-me, speak-you Q English?
Both извинете and говорите are the polite forms.
- Благодаря Ви за помощта.
Thank you for your help.
Word by Word: I-thank you for help-the.
In polite writing, Ви has a capital letter.
- Може ли да си говорим на ти?
Shall we say ти to each other?
Word by Word: May Q to each-other we-talk on ти?
The usual way to suggest switching from Вие to ти.
Common Mistakes
Using a singular verb with polite Вие.
Вие откъде си?Вие откъде сте?Вие always takes plural verb forms, even when you are speaking to one person.
Making the adjective plural when speaking politely to one person.
Госпожо, Вие сте много любезни.Госпожо, Вие сте много любезна.The verb сте is plural, but an adjective describing one person stays singular and matches that person.
Writing polite ви in lowercase in a letter.
Уважаеми господин Петров, благодаря ви за писмото.Уважаеми господин Петров, благодаря Ви за писмото.In a letter or email addressed politely, write Вие, Вас, Ви and Ваш with a capital letter.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The polite form builds on the plural pronoun вие.
Related Patterns
- как си/как стеAsking How Someone Is
How are you? has a familiar and a polite form.
Level 1 - здравей/здравейтеSaying Hello
Hello also has a familiar and a polite form.
Level 1 - извинете/извинявайExcuse Me and Sorry
Excuse me and sorry change with ти and Вие.
Level 1 - заповядай/заповядайтеHere You Are and Come in
Here you are and come in change with ти and Вие.
Level 1 - съм/си/е/сме/сте/саPresent Tense of Съм
Ти takes си and Вие takes сте.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ти / Вие in Bubblegum
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