tu / jūs

Informal Tu and Polite Jūs

Level 2

Say tu to a friend: Vai tu runā latviski? Say jūs to a stranger or a group: Vai jūs runājat angliski? Both mean "Do you speak …?"

How It Works

Two words for "you"

  • tu is for one person you know well: a friend, a family member, a child, or someone your own age in a relaxed setting.
  • jūs is for more than one person, whoever they are. It is also the polite way to talk to one person, such as a stranger, a shop assistant, a doctor, a teacher or an older person you do not know well.

jūs always takes the plural verb

Even when you talk politely to one person, the verb has the plural "you" ending. In the present tense it ends in -at or -āt:

  • tu esi → jūs esat (you are)
  • tu runā → jūs runājat (you speak)
  • tu dzīvo → jūs dzīvojat (you live)
  • tu ej → jūs ejat (you go)
  • tu lasi → jūs lasāt (you read)

The other forms

So you ask a friend Kā tevi sauc? and a stranger Kā jūs sauc? (What is your name?). You ask a friend Kā tev iet? and a stranger Kā jums iet? (How are you?). See Giving Your Name and Asking How Someone Is.

Set phrases have two versions too

Atvaino! is for someone you call tu, and Atvainojiet! is for jūs. Sveiks! or Sveika! greets one friend, and Sveiki! greets a group. See Excuse Me and Sorry and Hello That Agrees.

Switching to tu

Adults who meet for the first time usually start with jūs. When they get to know each other, they may agree to switch. People then say they are uz tu (on tu terms): Mēs esam uz tu. Children use tu with their parents and with each other.

In writing

In dialogue, tu and jūs are lowercase. In a letter or email to one person, Jūs is often capitalized to show respect. See Capital Letters.

Examples (6)

  1. Vai tu runā latviski?

    Do you speak Latvian?

    Asked to a friend, so the speaker uses tu and the singular verb runā.

  2. Vai jūs runājat angliski?

    Do you speak English?

    Asked politely to a stranger, or to a group. jūs needs the plural verb runājat.

  3. Kā jūs sauc?

    What is your name?

    The polite form. With tu it is Kā tevi sauc?

  4. Atvainojiet, vai jūs esat Bērziņa kungs?

    Excuse me, are you Mr Bērziņš?

    A polite question to one man, so the speaker uses Atvainojiet, jūs and the plural verb esat.

  5. Bērni, kur jūs esat?

    Children, where are you?

    Here jūs is plural, not polite. It is used for any group, even close family.

  6. Mamma, vai tev ir laiks?

    Mom, do you have time?

    Family members use tu, so the dative form is tev.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the singular verb with jūs.

    Vai jūs runā angliski?
    Vai jūs runājat angliski?

    jūs always takes the plural verb ending, even when you speak politely to one person. runā is the form for tu, viņš and viņa.

  • Mixing tu with a plural verb.

    Vai tu gribat kafiju?
    Vai tu gribi kafiju?

    tu takes the singular form gribi. The ending -at belongs to jūs: Vai jūs gribat kafiju?

  • Using jums when asking a name.

    Kā jums sauc?
    Kā jūs sauc?

    The name question uses the object form, like Kā tevi sauc? The object form of jūs is also jūs. jums means "to you", as in Kā jums iet?

How It Connects

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tu / jūsLevel 2Informal Tu and Polite Jūs

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Tu and jūs build on the forms of būt.

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