Table of Contents
Is there a plural form of you?
Semantics. Semantically, you is both singular and plural, though syntactically it is always plural: it always takes a verb form that originally marked the word as plural, (i.e. you are, in common with we are and they are).
Why is there no plural for you?
‘You” was originally plural, “thou” was the singular. There was a shift to using the plural as the polite form, eg. monarchs say ‘we’ for I, so gradually the ‘you’ plural began to be used by everybody.
Why is are used with you?
Strictly speaking, if you’re using the singular form of “you,” it should require “is” and not “are.” But the correct usage is “are” for both the singular and plural forms of “you.”
What is the difference between you singular and you plural?
There is no difference between you (singular) and you (plural) when it comes to tenses: (plural)
Is you formal or informal in English?
Thou and Thee
| informal English: | formal English: |
|---|---|
| thou to thee thy | you to you your |
Did Old English have a formal you?
Yes. As far as I know, you actually is the formal, originally plural version (ye/you/your) and thou was the informal version (thou/thee/thy/thine).
Why do some languages have formal and informal?
We use formal language in situations that are serious or that involve people we don’t know well. Informal language is more commonly used in situations that are more relaxed and involve people we know well.
Is 2nd person formal or informal?
English pronouns in the nominative case
| Pronoun | Person and number |
|---|---|
| Standard | |
| Archaic | |
| thou | Second-person singular informal subject |
| thee | Second-person singular informal object |
What is the plural form of you in Spanish?
Key Takeaways. Spanish distinguishes between singular and plural forms of “you.”. In the plural form, Latin Americans normally use the formal ustedes where Spaniards would use the informal vosotros.
How are plurals formed from singular nouns?
The plurals of a few nouns are formed from the singular by adding -n or -en, stemming from the Old English weak declension. Only the following three are commonly found:
When to use the formal or the informal you?
When To Use the Formal or the Informal ‘You’. The basic rule of formal-vs.-informal forms — although keep in mind that there are exceptions — is that when speaking with one person you can use the informal forms under roughly the same circumstances where you can use a person’s first name in English.
How do you make singular and plural words end in E?
Where a singular noun ends in a sibilant sound—/s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/ or /dʒ/—the plural is formed by adding /ɪz/ or /əz/ (in some transcription systems, this is abbreviated as /ᵻz/). The spelling adds -es, or -s if the singular already ends in -e: