你
nǐ/ni²¹⁴/
In Chinese, "do you" is expressed through the second person singular pronoun 你 (nǐ).
你 is the pronoun used to refer to the person being addressed. When asking about someone's desires or preferences, you may see it used in the common polite opening Qǐngwèn, nǐ xiǎng…, which translates to "May I ask, do you want…?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the pronoun from singular to plural, you add the suffix 们 to the end of the word. This creates 你们, which means "you all" or "you guys".
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as nǐ (/ni²¹⁴/).
Did you know?
- In Chinese, it is common to drop the word 你 entirely if the context makes it clear who is being addressed. Using 'you' too frequently in a conversation can sound unnatural or overly aggressive to a native speaker.
- While 你 is the standard singular 'you', there is a formal version 您 (nín) used to show respect to elders or superiors. It is visually distinct because it adds the character for 'heart' underneath the person radical.
- In many Chinese dialects, the word for 'you' is often replaced by the person's name or title to show respect, as using 'you' can sometimes feel too blunt.
Examples in context
- 你记日记吗？Do you keep a diary?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 你 in a question about a habit.Tatoeba #396625 by GlossaMatik, translation #15872 by CK
- 你肚子饿吗？Do you feel hungry?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 你 when asking about a physical sensation.Tatoeba #400025 by GlossaMatik, translation #2600149 by sharptoothed
- 你想吃什么？What do you want to eat?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 你 when asking about a preference.Tatoeba #419672 by GlossaMatik, translation #372015 by saeb
- 1653 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zihan and Zhiqiang are talking about work on a phone call.
- 梓涵 Zihan你工作忙吗？Nǐ gōngzuò máng ma?Are you busy with work?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我不算太忙。Wǒ bù suàn tài máng.I'm not too busy.
- 梓涵 Zihan你明天有空吗？Nǐ míngtiān yǒu kòng ma?Do you have time tomorrow?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我有空，怎么了？Wǒ yǒu kòng, zěnme le?I have time, what's up?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 你, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
