मी / तू / तुम्ही
I and You
तुम्ही also means you all, so one word covers a polite you and a group.
How It Works
The word you choose shapes the whole sentence.
| Word | Who | to be | habit verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| मी | I | आहे | करतो (man), करते (woman) |
| तू | friend, child, sibling, own parent | आहेस | करतोस (to a man), करतेस (to a woman) |
| तुम्ही | elder, stranger, group | आहात | करता |
A habit verb with मी shows if the speaker is a man or a woman. A habit verb with तू shows if the listener is a man or a woman. The form of to be does not show it. The verb after तुम्ही stays the same for a man and a woman: तुम्ही आहात, तुम्ही करता.
Ask an elder or a stranger with तुम्ही. Ask a friend with तू.
Examples (5)
- मी रोज चहा घेतो.
I drink tea every day. A man is speaking.
घेतो shows that a man is speaking.
- मी बाजारात जाते.
I go to the market. A woman is speaking.
जाते shows that a woman is speaking.
- तू कसा आहेस?
How are you? This is said to a man or a boy.
तू takes आहेस, and कसा matches the listener.
- तू कुठे जातेस?
Where are you going? This is said to a woman or a girl.
जातेस shows that the listener is a woman.
- तुम्ही कसे आहात?
How are you? This is said to a mixed group or politely to a man.
तुम्ही takes आहात, and कसे fits a man or a mixed group.
Common Mistakes
Using the singular after तुम्ही.
तुम्ही कसा आहात?तुम्ही कसे आहात?तुम्ही is a plural word, so the question word is कसे for a man or a mixed group. For a woman it is कशा.
Leaving off the -स ending after तू.
तू कसा आहे?तू कसा आहेस?In the present, तू takes आहेस.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- आहे / आहेस / आहोत / आहात / आहेतBeing Something or Somewhere
Shows every form of the verb to be.
Level 1 - आम्ही / आपणTwo Ways to Say We
Shows the two words for we.
Level 1 - तो / ती / ते / त्याHe, She, It and They
Shows he, she, it and they.
Level 1 - ताई / दादा / काका / मावशीCalling People by Family Words
Shows the kinship words that replace you.
Level 1 - -तो / -ते / -तातEveryday Habits
Shows the habit shapes of the verb.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.