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you
pronoun as in nominative singular pronoun
Example Sentences
“F**king Rocky is your hero. The whole pride of your city is built around a f**king guy who doesn’t even exist. You got Joe Frazier from here but he’s Black so you can’t f**king deal with him, so you make a f**king statue of some 3-foot f**king Italian you stupid Philly cheese-eating f**king jacka**es.”
President Lyndon Johnson remarked, “If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”
I know that parents of older kids will “Just you wait” me on this.
Did you know breastfeeding places you in the perfect physical position to stare at your phone?
If all you’re offering your kid is a slack-jawed look bathed in phone glow, what are they learning about how to interact with humans?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for you?
We don’t traditionally think of you as having synonyms, but there are several situations in which it can replace—or be replaced with—another word, phrase, or series of words.
yourself
In some cases, the word yourself (plural, yourselves) is used as another way of saying you. For example, it’s common to say things like You should think for yourself (which avoids using it twice, as in You should think for you). Yourself is also sometimes used in place of you after the words as, than, and but, as in I was a girl no older than yourself.
one
You is sometimes used not to refer to the listener or reader but to any person in general, much like how the word one is sometimes used, as in You never know what might happen. A more formal way of saying this is One never knows what might happen.
y’all and you-all
There are a few alternative ways of saying you when it’s plural. The term y’all—a popular shortening of you-all—can be used when referring to multiple people, as in Y’all are my favorite people, or to a person who represents a group or organization, as in Are y’all going to be open on Saturday? These terms (and similar ones like you guys) are typically used in informal communication.
yous and youse
A plural form of you that is considered nonstandard is yous (or youse) as in Where are yous going?
ye and thou
Archaic forms of the word you include ye and thou.
u
You might use the letter u as a substitute for you in very informal communications, such as text messages or online posts, as in i miss u!
What can you use instead of the word you?
There may be some situations when you want to avoid using the word you in a piece of writing, especially in more formal or technical writing, such as a scientific report. In these cases, you can reword things to avoid addressing the reader altogether. For example, instead of saying You’ll see this increase illustrated in the graph below, you could say This increase is illustrated in the graph below.
In interpersonal communication, it is often recommended to state grievances without placing blame on the person you’re talking to. Sometimes, the best way to do this is to avoid using the word you. For example, instead of saying You always leave your socks on the floor, try a more tactful phrasing, like It’s frustrating to me when I find socks on the floor.
What kind of pronoun is you?
You is a personal pronoun. Pronouns are used as substitutes for nouns—they’re another way of referring to a noun without using a specific name. Personal pronouns are used to refer to the speaker, to the person being addressed, or the person being talked about.
You is categorized as a second person pronoun, meaning that it’s used to address the person being spoken to or reading. In contrast, first person pronouns (like I and me) refer to the speaker or writer themselves, and third person pronouns (like he, she, they, him, her, and them) refer to anyone other than the person doing the communicating or the people being addressed.
In literature, second-person point of view is a form of narration in which the events of the story are told using the second person. This technique (using you and its other forms) can express the action as if it’s happening from the point of view of the reader (though it may have other effects). It is far less commonly used than first-person point of view and third-person point of view.
Unlike many other personal pronouns, you does not change forms depending on whether it’s being used as a subject (as in You handled that nicely) or an object (as in The doctor will examine you now). In contrast, the pronouns I, he, she, and they are used as subjects, while their object counterparts are me, him, her, and them.
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
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