tu / jūs
Informal Tu and Polite Jūs
tu = you (one friend, relative or child) · jūs = you (a group, or one person politely)
How It Works
Two ways to say "you". People commonly use tu for one person they know well: family, close friends, children, classmates, and often peers of your own age. Use jūs for a group of any kind, and for one person you do not know well: shop staff, officials, teachers, older people and new colleagues.
The verb is plural with jūs. Compare Kaip tu gyveni? and Kaip jūs gyvenate? (How are you?). The same holds for būti: tu esi, but jūs esate.
Describing one polite person. An adjective or noun that describes one person you call jūs stays singular and matches that person: Jūs labai malonus (to a man), Jūs labai maloni (to a woman). For a group it is plural: Vaikai, ar jūs alkani? More in polite jūs with singular adjectives.
Greetings follow the same split. Labas! and Sveikas! or Sveika! go with tu; Laba diena! and Sveiki! are safe with jūs. See sveikas, sveika, sveiki.
In writing. In letters and e-mails to one person, many writers capitalize the polite forms to show respect: Jūs, Jūsų, Jums. It is a courtesy of the genre, not a rule for every text.
Switching. Once you use jūs with someone, you can keep it until you agree to use tu.
Examples (6)
- Kaip tu gyveni?
How are you?
Word by Word: How you live?
Informal: to a friend.
- Mama, ar tu namie?
Mom, are you home?
Family members commonly use tu with each other.
- Iš kur jūs esate?
Where are you from?
Polite to one person, or plural to a group.
- Atsiprašau, ar jūs kalbate angliškai?
Excuse me, do you speak English?
Jūs and the plural verb kalbate are a polite choice when addressing a stranger.
- Vaikai, ar jūs alkani?
Kids, are you hungry?
Jūs to a group, with the plural adjective alkani.
- Jūs labai malonus.
You are very kind.
Said politely to one man: jūs, but the adjective malonus stays singular.
Common Mistakes
Using the tu verb form with jūs.
Atsiprašau, ar jūs kalbi angliškai?Atsiprašau, ar jūs kalbate angliškai?Jūs always takes the plural ending, here -ate, even when it means one person.
Saying tu to a stranger you mean to address politely.
Atsiprašau, ar tu žinai, kur stotis?Atsiprašau, ar jūs žinote, kur stotis?The first sentence is grammatical, but tu sounds too familiar to a stranger. For polite address use jūs and the plural verb žinote.
Making the adjective plural for one polite person.
Pone Jonai, jūs labai malonūs.Pone Jonai, jūs labai malonus.When jūs means one person, the verb is plural but the describing adjective stays singular. Malonūs would mean you are speaking to several people.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The choice between tu and jūs adds social meaning to the personal pronouns.
Related Patterns
- jūs + singular adjectivePolite Jūs with Singular Adjectives
Details how adjectives agree with polite jūs for one person.
Level 4 - sveikas / sveika / sveikiHello That Agrees
The greeting changes with tu or jūs.
Level 1 - labasInformal Hi with Labas
Labas is the informal hello that goes with tu.
Level 1 - kaip sekasiHow Are You
Asks how someone is with tau or jums.
Level 1 - kuo tu varduAsking Someone's Name
Asks someone's name, informally or politely.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice tu / jūs in Bubblegum
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