you  

When speaking directly to another person, use the pronoun "you."

The word "you" is also used when talking to more than one person:

Then there’s the indefinite form for "you." This is very useful because it can be used in talking about any person or group of people, directly or indirectly:

• Smoking is bad for you. (It’s bad for any person to smoke.)
• You must capitalize the first word in a sentence. (Everyone must do this.)
• If you practice English every day, you will improve. (This is good advice for anyone who hears it.)

Here’s a video on the use of you as an indefinite pronoun:

One more thing. Remember that "you" is the subject in sentences that are in the imperative form (commands):

• Give that to me, please. (The subject in this sentence is "you.")
• Stop at the light. (The subject is "you.")
• Don’t do that! (I’m talking to you!)

For more help with the pronoun "you," click here.

Some students have problems pronouncing the "y" sound. Click here if that’s you.

Click here to go to the Word of the Day page.

This page was first published on September 15, 2012. It was updated on August 28, 2015.