e tu?
/ˈe ˈtu/word by word
In Italian, the phrase "what about you" is expressed as e tu?
This phrase is used to ask someone for their opinion or information after you have already shared your own.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally translated as "and you?" (e tu?).
Which one should you use?
While e tu? is the standard way to ask one person, you should use e voi? if you are asking "what about you?" to a group of people. For formal situations, e Lei? is used instead of e tu?
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people, the form changes to e voi?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈe ˈtu/
Did you know?
- The formal version e Lei? uses the word for 'she' to address a person, reflecting a historical preference for using the third person to show extreme respect.
- Depending on the tone and gesture, e tu? can be used as a rhetorical device to point out a hypocrisy in the other person's argument.
- The word tu shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European roots as the English word 'thou', a word that has become almost entirely obsolete in modern English.
Examples in context
- Mi chiamo John. E tu?I am called John. What about you?This sentence shows how to follow up a self-introduction with e tu?Tatoeba #7918275 by Guybrush88, translation #7781078 by sharris123
- Jacques ha il suo libro. E tu?Jacques has his book. What about you?This sentence uses e tu? to ask about possession.Tatoeba #9550456 by Guybrush88, translation #9550115 by ChurroC
- E tu?What about you?This is a standalone use of E tu?Tatoeba #1003624 by Guybrush88, translation #1642551 by CK
- E tu, ti piace la cucina italiana?What about you, do you like Italian cuisine?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting at a cafe.
- MartinaIo prendo un caffè. E tu?I'll have a coffee. And you?
- AlessandroPer me un tè freddo, grazie.For me a cold tea, thanks.
- MartinaVuoi anche un cornetto, Alessandro?Do you also want a croissant, Alessandro?
- AlessandroNo, grazie, preferisco solo il tè.No, thanks, I prefer just the tea.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (e, tu) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
