Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| آپ | āp | /ɑːp/ (Standard, Urdu) | formal |
| تُم | tum | informal | |
| تُو | tū | informal |
The Urdu pronouns for "you" function as subject pronouns to address the person being spoken to.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ by their level of formality and social distance. آپ is the most respectful and polite option. تُم is an informal version used for peers or those of equal standing. تُو is the most intimate and lowest-register form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
آپ is the formal way to say "you" and should be used when addressing elders, strangers or in professional environments. تُم is commonly used informally among friends or family members. تُو is used for very close friends, children or sometimes in a derogatory manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb conjugation changes based on which pronoun you choose. The formal آپ requires the verb to be conjugated in the second-person plural or honorific form. The informal تُم requires the verb to be conjugated in the second-person plural form. The intimate تُو requires the verb to be conjugated in the second-person singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
āp
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using the formal آپ, do not use a singular verb conjugation. You must always use the plural or honorific verb form.
Did you know?
- The highly intimate form تُو is often used in Sufi poetry to address the Divine, representing a level of closeness that transcends social norms.
- The formal word for 'you', آپ, is etymologically rooted in the concept of the 'self' or 'soul'. It stems from the Sanskrit word for 'spirit' or 'inner self'.
- Urdu speakers often avoid using any of the pronouns for 'you' entirely by omitting them from the sentence. The correct level of respect is instead signaled solely through the verb ending.
Examples in context
- آپ نے کیا کہا؟What did you say?This sentence is useful for asking what someone said using the formal آپ.Tatoeba #12902445 by Roomba_Unit, translation #433423 by CK
- آپ کیا کریں گے؟What are you going to do?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's future actions using the formal آپ.Tatoeba #1465752 by nabeel_tahir, translation #25000 by CK
- کیا آپ نے توڑا؟Did you break it?This sentence is useful for asking if someone broke something using the formal آپ.Tatoeba #13390760 by Roomba_Unit, translation #4876408 by Hybrid
- آپ کیسے ہیں؟How are you?
- آپ کے خاندان میں کون کون ہیں؟Who are there in your family?
- 153 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ali and Fatima are meeting at a cafe.
- فاطمہ Fatimaآپ کیسے ہیں؟Aap kaise hain?How are you?
- علی Aliمیں ٹھیک ہوں، آپ کا شکریہ۔Mein theek hoon, aap ka shukriya.I am fine, thank you.
- فاطمہ Fatimaکیا آپ نے چائے پی؟Kya aap ne chai pi?Did you drink tea?
- علی Aliنہیں، میں نے ابھی نہیں پی۔Nahi, mein ne abhi nahi pi.No, I haven't drunk it yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries آپ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries آپ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
