How do you say 'you' in Russian?

Answer 1

You singular informal (i.e. referring to one person, someone who you know closely, your friend or your relative, or referring to a child or a teenager):

Russian Cirillic: ты

conventional Latin transliteration: ty

pronunciation key (very rough English approximation): tih

You plural (i.e. referring to more than one person, irrespectively of the formality/informality):

Russian Cirillic: вы

conventional Latin transliteration: vy

pronunciation key (very rough English approximation): vwih

You singular formal (i.e referring to one person, who you do not know closely, or who is older than you, or who is of a higher status, e.g. your teacher or your boss):

Russian Cirillic: вы

This form coinsides with the plural. However, the singular formal addressing is often (but not always!) capitalized: Вы.

Attention: all of the above forms (ты, вы, Вы) are given in nominative. They are only used when being a subject of a sentence.

In other syntax conditions, they are declined. You should know the grammar in order to pick up a correct form.

Nominative ты вы (ty vy) [tih vih]

Genitive тебя вас (tebya vas) [tyee-BYAH vahs]

Dative тебе вам (tebe vam) [tyee-BYEH vahm]

Accusative тебя вас (tebya vas) [tyee-BYAH vahs]

Instrumental тобой вами (toboy vami) [tuh-BOY VAH-mee]

Prepositional (о) тебе (о) вас (o tebe o vas) [uh tyee-BYEH uh VAHS]