ти
ty[tɪ]familiar
The Ukrainian word for "you" can be expressed as ти or ви depending on the level of familiarity.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти | ty | [tɪ] (narrow) | familiar |
| ви | vy | [ʋɪ] (narrow) | polite |
The word is a subject pronoun used to address the person being spoken to.
Which one should you use?
ти is the singular, informal form used for a single person you know well or are close to, such as a friend, child or family member. ви is used to address a single person formally to show respect, or to address a group of multiple people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ти is the standard informal way of saying you. ви is the standard word for you in formal situations. When addressing a woman formally, you can also use пані.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ви is identical for both the polite singular second person and the plural second person used when addressing multiple people.
How do you pronounce it?
ty
Did you know?
- The pronoun ти is used when praying to God in Ukrainian, reflecting a relationship of intimacy and closeness rather than formal distance.
- The word ти shares a deep ancestral root with the English word 'thou', as both descend from the Proto-Indo-European pronoun *túh₂.
- In Ukrainian, switching from ви to ти is a significant social milestone known as 'transitioning to ty'. Doing this without mutual agreement or the consent of the elder person can be seen as a serious breach of etiquette.
Examples in context
- А ти не знав?Didn't you know that?This sentence shows the use of ти in a question.Tatoeba #590962 by aandrusiak, translation #277012 by Zifre
- Ти ж з Томом?You're with Tom, aren't you?This sentence shows the use of ти to confirm a person's company.Tatoeba #6722199 by deniko, translation #2543259 by CK
- Ти ще не спиш?Are you still awake?This sentence shows the use of ти when asking about a state.Tatoeba #5871380 by deniko, translation #2609401 by CK
- Привіт! Як справи, Олексію?Hi! How are you, Oleksiy?
- Андрію, чи міг би ти допомогти мені з цим завданням?Andriy, could you help me with this task?
- Діти, хто з вас хоче піти на прогулянку?Children, who among you wants to go for a walk?
- 12426 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andriy and Nataliya are at home talking about their day.
- Андрій AndriiТи сьогодні дуже втомлена.Ty siohodni duzhe vtomyena.You are very tired today.
- Наталія NataliiaТак, я багато працювала.Tak, ya bahato pratsyuvatyla.Yes, I worked a lot.
- Андрій AndriiТи хочеш відпочити?Ty khochesh vidpochyty?Do you want to rest?
- Наталія NataliiaТак, це було б чудово.Tak, tse bulo b chudovo.Yes, that would be wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries ти, ви, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ви, ти, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
