¿y tú?
/ʝ ˈtu/word by word
In Spanish, "how about you?" is translated as ¿y tú?
The phrase is used to ask someone for their opinion or status after you have shared your own.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally translated as and you.
Which one should you use?
Use ¿y usted? instead of ¿y tú? when speaking to someone in a formal context, such as an elder or a stranger.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝ ˈtu/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, ¿y tú? is often omitted in favor of simply saying ¿y vos? This occurs in countries like Argentina and Uruguay where vos replaces tú in informal speech.
- Using ¿y tú? with a stranger in Spain is common, but doing so in Mexico or Colombia can sometimes be seen as overly forward. The choice between tú and usted varies wildly by country.
- The word tú is a direct 'cousin' to the archaic English word 'thou', as both stem from the same ancient Indo-European roots.
Examples in context
- Yo estoy muy bien, ¿y tú?I am very well, how about you?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the weekend.
- MaríaYo voy al cine mañana, ¿y tú?I am going to the cinema tomorrow, how about you?
- JavierYo prefiero quedarme en casa.I prefer to stay at home.
- María¿Estás muy cansado, Javier?Are you very tired, Javier?
- JavierSí, he trabajado mucho hoy.Yes, I have worked a lot today.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (y, tú) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tú, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
