మీరు
mīru/miːɾu/polite
The English word 'you' is translated into Telugu using either మీరు (mīru) or నీవు.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Ways to say it
| Telugu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| మీరు | mīru | /miːɾu/ | polite |
| నీవు | nīvu | /niːʋu/ | familiar |
Which one should you use?
మీరు is used when addressing a single person respectfully, such as an elder or a stranger and it is also the form used when addressing a group of people. In contrast, నీవు is used when addressing a single person who is a close friend, a younger person or someone of lower social status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
మీరు is the polite form and is the standard way to address a single person to show respect and avoid being rude. నీవు is a familiar and informal form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal singular form నీవు is often shortened to నీ in casual speech, although నీ is more commonly used as the possessive pronoun 'your'.
How do you pronounce it?
mīru
Did you know?
- In many Telugu dialects, people avoid using the word for 'you' entirely when speaking to superiors, instead referring to the person by their kinship title or relationship.
- In emotional or angry outbursts, a speaker might suddenly switch from the respectful మీరు to the informal నీవు to signal a loss of respect or a breakdown in the relationship.
- The informal నీవు is inherited from the Proto-Dravidian root *nīm, making it one of the most ancient surviving elements of the language's grammar.
Examples in context
- మీరు దేని గురించి ఆలోచిస్తున్నారో చెప్పగలరా?Can you tell me what you're thinking about?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of మీరు in a question.Tatoeba #13350024 by rarmdhyymm, translation #11797246 by sundown
- మీరు రొమేనియన్లా?Are you guys Romanian?This sentence shows how మీరు can be used when addressing a group.Tatoeba #13348852 by rarmdhyymm, translation #10494046 by shekitten
- మీరు ఎందుకు రావాలనుకుంటున్నారు?Why do you want to come?This sentence demonstrates asking a question to someone using మీరు.Tatoeba #9253685 by Hari, translation #8920035 by sundown
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in a quiet office hallway.
- సాయి Saiశ్రావణి గారు, మీరు ఎలా ఉన్నారు?śrāvaṇi gāru, mīru elā unnāru?Shravani garu, how are you?
- శ్రావణి Sravaniనేను బాగున్నాను, సాయి గారు.nēnu bāgunnānu, sāyi gāru.I am fine, Sai garu.
- సాయి Saiమీరు ఈ పని పూర్తి చేశారా?mīru ī pani pūrti cēśārā?Did you finish this work?
- శ్రావణి Sravaniఅవును, నేను ఇప్పుడే పూర్తి చేశాను.avunu, nēnu ippuḍē pūrti cēśānu.Yes, I just finished it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries మీరు, నీవు, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries నీవు, మీరు, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
