Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| تو | to | /ˈtu/ (Classical Persian) | familiar |
| تُو | tū | familiar | |
| شُمَا | šumā | polite | |
| شُما | šomâ | polite |
Persian uses different pronouns for 'you' depending on whether you are addressing a single person in an informal way, or multiple people or a single person in a formal way. Use تو for intimate or informal contexts with one person, and use شما to address either a group of people or a single person with respect.
Which one should you use?
The form تو is used only for a single person in familiar or informal settings. In contrast, the form شما is used for both the plural 'you' and as a polite singular 'you' when addressing someone with respect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
تو is the informal way to say 'you'. شما is a respectful, formal pronoun. In formal settings, such as when speaking to a stranger, a teacher or an elder, you should use شما instead of تو to avoid being rude.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the familiar تو, the verb 'to be' must take the singular second-person ending –ی or – هستی.
How do you pronounce it?
to is pronounced /ˈtu/.
Did you know?
- The Persian word تو is a distant relative of the English word 'thou' and the German 'du'. They all share a common ancestor from the Proto-Indo-European language spoken thousands of years ago.
- In very close friendships or intimate relationships, switching from شما to تو is a significant social milestone known as 'breaking the formality'. Doing this too early can be perceived as an aggressive lack of boundaries.
- In some traditional Persian poetry, the word تو is used not just for a person, but as a mystical reference to the Divine or the Beloved, blurring the line between a human and a spiritual entity.
Examples in context
- تو یک زن هستی.You are a woman.This sentence is useful for identifying the subject with the form تو.Tatoeba #11114154 by sinakd, translation #1228743 by CM
- تو یک مرد هستی.You are a man.Tatoeba #11114152 by sinakd, translation #11114151 by sinakd
- تو یک پسر هستی.You are a boy.Tatoeba #11114155 by sinakd, translation #10684086 by quoctrong018
- Tu chetori? (تو چطوری؟)How are you?
- To chi mikoni? (تو چی میکنی؟)What are you doing?
- 367 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a shared hobby in a park.
- زهرا Zahraتو هم دوست داری؟to ham doost dari?Do you like it too?
- محمد Mohammadبله، من خیلی دوست دارم.bale, man kheyli doost daram.Yes, I like it a lot.
- زهرا Zahraتو چه زمانی تمرین میکنی؟to che zamani tamrin mikoni?When do you practice?
- محمد Mohammadمن هر روز عصر تمرین میکنم.man har rooz asr tamrin mikonam.I practice every day in the afternoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries تو, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries تو, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
