vi

You for One or Many

Level 1

One word for you, however many people you speak to.

How It Works

The word vi serves for one person and for several. The context tells the listener which.

EsperantoMeaning
Vi laboras.You work (one person or more).
Vi estas feliĉa.You are happy (one person).
Vi estas feliĉaj.You are happy (two or more people).

The verb does not change. An adjective after estas does change: -a for one person and -aj for several. A word ci exists in theory for one person, but people normally do not use it. You do not need it.

When you write to a group, the group name makes it clear that vi means several people: Amikoj, ĉu vi parolas Esperanton?

Examples (4)

  1. Kenji, ĉu vi parolas Esperanton?

    Kenji, do you speak Esperanto?

    Vi speaks to one person.

  2. Kenji kaj Ana, ĉu vi parolas Esperanton?

    Kenji and Ana, do you speak Esperanto?

    Vi speaks to two people, and the verb is the same.

  3. Wei, vi estas feliĉa.

    Wei, you are happy.

    Feliĉa has no -j because vi means one person.

  4. Amikoj, vi estas feliĉaj.

    Friends, you are happy.

    Feliĉaj takes -j because vi means several people.

How It Connects

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

viLevel 1You for One or Many

Learn This First

Vi is both the singular and the plural you, which only makes sense once both lists are known.