tú
/ˈtu/
In Spanish, 'u' refers to the English phrase 'u' (you). The default form is tú.
The word tú is used to mean 'you'.
Which one should you use?
tú is the informal singular form of 'you', used with friends, family or people your age. In contrast, 'usted' is the formal way to say 'you' and should be used with strangers, elders or in professional settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun tú is a subject pronoun, meaning it is used as the person performing the action in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtu/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse tú (you) with tu (your). The version with the accent mark is the pronoun, while the version without the accent is the possessive adjective.
Did you know?
- The word tú is a distant linguistic cousin of the archaic English word 'thou'. Both evolved from the same ancient root in the Proto-Indo-European language.
- In certain Latin American countries, like Argentina, people use a special form called 'voseo' instead of tú to mean 'you'.
- In some dialects, the transition from usted to tú is a formal social ritual called 'tutear', which marks the official start of a close friendship.
Examples in context
- Tú eres mi mejor amigo.You are my best friend.
- ¿Tú vives en esta ciudad?Do you live in this city?
- Tú tienes un perro muy bonito.You have a very pretty dog.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking about their classes at university.
- Elena¿Tú vas a la clase de español?Are you going to the Spanish class?
- DanielSí, yo voy a la clase.Yes, I am going to the class.
- ElenaTú eres muy estudioso, Daniel.You are very studious, Daniel.
- DanielGracias, Elena.Thanks, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tú, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tú, CC BY-SA 4.0.
