ти / Вие
Informal and Polite You
Ти is for family, friends and children: Како си? Вие is for someone you address politely: Како сте?
How It Works
1. Who gets which
- ти – family, friends, children, classmates, and people your age in casual settings.
- Вие – strangers, older people, customers, teachers, officials, and anyone you call господине or госпоѓо.
2. The verb follows the choice
- Ти си од Скопје? – singular си
- Вие сте од Скопје? – plural сте, even for one person
- Зборуваш англиски? / Зборувате англиски?
Keep one choice through the whole sentence. A title like госпоѓо goes with Вие, not with ти.
3. Several people
For a group you always use вие, whether you know them well or not: Ана и Марко, каде сте?
4. The capital letter
When you write to someone you address politely, capitalize the polite forms: Ви благодарам. In a message to a group of friends, вие stays small.
Examples (6)
- Марко, каде си?
Marko, where are you?
Word by Word: Marko, where are-you?
A friend gets ти, so the verb is си.
- Мамо, ти си дома?
Mom, are you home?
Word by Word: Mom, you are at-home?
Family members use ти with each other.
- Добар ден, господине Трајковски. Како сте?
Hello, Mr. Trajkovski. How are you?
Word by Word: Good day, Mr. Trajkovski. How are-you?
A title goes with the polite form сте.
- Вие сте од Скопје?
Are you from Skopje?
Word by Word: You are from Skopje?
Polite Вие to one person, with the plural сте.
- Ана и Марко, дали сте гладни?
Ana and Marko, are you hungry?
Word by Word: Ana and Marko, whether are-you hungry?
Two friends together are вие.
- Ви благодарам за пораката.
Thank you for the message.
Word by Word: You I-thank for message-the.
In a polite written reply, Ви takes a capital letter.
Common Mistakes
Using a singular verb with polite Вие.
Вие си од Скопје?Вие сте од Скопје?Polite Вие always takes the plural form, so it is сте, not си.
Mixing a polite title with ти.
Господине Трајковски, ти си од Битола?Господине Трајковски, Вие сте од Битола?The speaker means to be polite, but ти is the informal form. A title like господине calls for Вие and сте.
Writing the polite pronoun with a small letter in a message.
Госпоѓо Николовска, ви благодарам.Госпоѓо Николовска, Ви благодарам.In writing addressed politely to one person, Ви, Вие, Ве and Ваш are capitalized as a sign of respect.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Choosing ти or Вие needs the subject pronouns.
Related Patterns
- како си / добро сумAsking How Someone Is
Како си? and Како сте? are the most common place to make this choice.
Level 1 - сумPresent Forms of Be
The polite form uses сте, the plural form of сум.
Level 1 - Addressing Someone
Forms like мамо and господине are the calling forms that go with ти and Вие.
Level 2 - господин / госпоѓа / госпоѓицаTitles and Formal Address
Titles such as господин and госпоѓа go with Вие.
Level 3 - Capital and Small Letters
The capital in polite Вие is one of the Macedonian capitalization rules.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ти / Вие in Bubblegum
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