तू / तुम / आप

Addressing Someone

Level 1Sounds Like tū, tuma aura āpa

आप is polite, तुम is friendly, and तू is very intimate or rude.

How It Works

Hindi has three words for you. Choose by your relationship with the person.

WordUse it withto be
आपstrangers, elders, teachers, customers, anyone you respectआप तैयार हैं
तुमfriends, younger relatives, childrenतुम तैयार हो
तूvery close family and friends, small childrenतू तैयार है

आप is always safe. If you are not sure, use आप. Many friends and couples use तुम. तू shows great closeness: some children call their mother तू, and close friends use it with each other. Said to a stranger, it is an insult.

The choice changes the verb: आप जाते हैं, तुम जाते हो, तू जाता है. It also changes commands (कीजिए, करो, कर) and the word for your (आपका, तुम्हारा, तेरा).

आप and तुम can speak to one person or to a group. Add लोग to make a group clear: आप लोग, तुम लोग.

Examples (5)

  1. आप कहाँ से हैं?

    Where are you from?

    A polite question for someone you have just met.

  2. अंकल, आप चाय लेंगे?

    Uncle, would you like some tea?

    आप for an older man, with a plural verb.

  3. तुम कैसे हो?

    How are you?

    तुम for a friend; the verb is हो.

  4. तुम लोग कहाँ जा रहे हो?

    Where are you all going?

    तुम लोग speaks to a group of friends.

  5. माँ, तू कहाँ है?

    Mom, where are you?

    Some children call their mother तू; here it shows closeness.

Common Mistakes

  • Using तू with someone you do not know well.

    अंकल, तू कहाँ रहता है?
    अंकल, आप कहाँ रहते हैं?

    तू to an older stranger sounds insulting. Use आप and the plural verb.

How It Connects

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

तू / तुम / आपLevel 1Addressing Someone

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

तूतुमआप