तू em 30 segundos
- Informal singular 'you' used for close relationships.
- Requires gender-specific verb endings (-tos for male, -tes for female).
- Should never be used with elders or strangers to avoid being rude.
- Forms the basis for possessives like 'tujha' and dative 'tula'.
The word तू (Tu) is the foundational second-person singular pronoun in the Marathi language, serving as the equivalent of the English 'you'. However, unlike the English 'you', which is universal regardless of the recipient's status, तू carries specific sociolinguistic weight. It is strictly informal and singular. In the complex hierarchy of Marathi social interactions, choosing the correct form of 'you' is a critical marker of respect, intimacy, and social standing. When you use तू, you are signaling a high degree of closeness, a lack of social distance, or a recognized seniority over the person you are addressing.
- Social Context
- It is most commonly used among close friends of the same age, by parents addressing their children, and between siblings. It creates an atmosphere of warmth and directness. Using it with a stranger or an elder, however, can be perceived as extremely rude or ' उद्धट' (uddhat - arrogant/disrespectful).
- Grammatical Role
- As a pronoun, तू acts as the subject of a sentence. It dictates the conjugation of the following verb. For example, in the present tense, the verb usually ends in 'तोस' (tos) for masculine subjects and 'तेस' (tes) for feminine subjects. This gender-specific conjugation is a unique feature that learners must master early on.
- Spiritual Significance
- Interestingly, in Marathi Bhakti (devotional) literature and prayers, devotees often address God as तू. This is not out of disrespect, but rather to signify a deep, personal, and unmediated bond with the divine, suggesting that God is the closest possible friend or parent.
'तू कुठे आहेस?' (Tu kuthe ahes?)
Furthermore, तू is the base for several oblique forms. When you want to say 'to you' (tula), 'your' (tujha), or 'by you' (tu), the word undergoes transformations. Understanding तू is the gateway to understanding Marathi sentence structure because it forces the speaker to immediately define the relationship between themselves and the listener. It is not just a word; it is a social contract. In literature, the shift from 'Tumhi' to तू often marks a turning point in a relationship, indicating a move toward intimacy or, conversely, a loss of formal distance during a heated argument.
Using तू correctly requires an understanding of Marathi's verb conjugation system, which is highly inflected. Unlike English, where 'you go' stays the same regardless of gender, in Marathi, the verb must match the gender of the person you are calling तू.
- Masculine Singular Construction
- When addressing a male friend: 'तू अभ्यास करतोस' (Tu abhyas kartos) - You study. Notice the 'tos' ending on the verb 'karne' (to do).
- Feminine Singular Construction
- When addressing a female friend: 'तू अभ्यास करतेस' (Tu abhyas kartes) - You study. Notice the 'tes' ending. This distinction is vital for grammatical accuracy.
'तू काय खातोस?' (Tu kay khatos?)
In the past tense, the changes are even more pronounced. 'Tu gelas' (You went - masculine) versus 'Tu gelis' (You went - feminine). The word तू remains the same, but it acts as a trigger for these morphological changes in the rest of the sentence. This is why तू is often the first pronoun taught after 'Mi' (I), as it establishes the fundamental rules of person-verb agreement in Marathi.
In imperative sentences (commands), तू is often implied but can be stated for emphasis. 'तू इकडे ये' (Tu ikade ye) - You, come here. This is a direct command. If you were being polite, you would use 'Tumhi ya'. The use of तू in commands should be restricted to children or very close peers to avoid sounding bossy or rude.
If you walk through the streets of Pune or Mumbai, you will hear तू everywhere—but only in specific pockets of interaction. You'll hear it at college campuses where students are chatting, in households between parents and children, and in the bustling markets when friends run into each other.
'अरे, तू कधी आलास?' (Are, tu kadhi alas?)
In Marathi cinema (Mollywood) and television dramas, the use of तू is a powerful tool for character development. A daughter-in-law might use 'Tumhi' with her mother-in-law, but the mother-in-law will almost certainly use तू with her. If the daughter-in-law suddenly switches to तू during a fight, it signals a complete breakdown of traditional respect and a moment of high drama.
- Pop Culture and Music
- Marathi romantic songs are filled with तू. It conveys a sense of belonging and intimacy that 'Tumhi' cannot. Phrases like 'तूच माझा जीव' (Tu-ch mazha jeev - You alone are my life) are staples of Marathi lyricism.
- Digital Communication
- On WhatsApp and social media, young Marathi speakers use तू almost exclusively with their peer group. It is often shortened in rapid typing or combined with English words in 'Hinglish' style: 'Tu kiva me?' (You or me?).
You will also hear it in sports. On a cricket ground, teammates will shout instructions at each other using तू: 'तू पळ!' (Tu pal! - You run!). The urgency of the moment strips away the need for formal honorifics, replaced by the functional directness of the singular pronoun.
The most frequent mistake English speakers make when learning Marathi is using तू too broadly. In English, 'you' is safe for everyone from your boss to your cat. In Marathi, using तू with the wrong person is a major social faux pas.
Another common error is failing to match the verb ending. Because English verbs don't change much based on the subject, learners often forget the 's' suffix. Saying 'Tu kay karto?' instead of 'Tu kay kartos?' sounds incomplete and grammatically 'broken' to a native speaker.
- Confusion with Plurality
- Sometimes learners use तू to address a group of friends. This is incorrect. तू is strictly singular. For a group, you must use 'Tumhi', even if they are all your close friends.
- The 'Tula' vs 'Tu' Trap
- Learners often say 'Tu avadte' for 'I like you'. The correct form is 'Mala tu avadtes' or, if 'you' is the object of the liking in a different sense, 'Tula' might be required. Distinguishing between the subject 'Tu' and the dative 'Tula' is a hurdle for many.
'तू काय करतो?' (Incorrect)
Finally, avoid using तू with service staff, drivers, or shopkeepers unless they are much younger than you. In Marathi culture, 'Tumhi' is the standard for polite public interaction. Using तू here can come across as looking down on them.
While तू is the primary informal singular pronoun, Marathi offers several alternatives depending on the level of respect and the number of people being addressed.
- तुम्ही (Tumhi)
- This is the formal 'you' (singular) and the general 'you' (plural). It is the safe, polite choice for strangers, elders, and groups. If तू is 'tu' in French or 'du' in German, 'Tumhi' is 'vous' or 'Sie'.
- आपण (Aapan)
- This is the highest level of formal 'you'. It is used to address very senior figures, dignitaries, or in extremely formal writing. It can also mean 'we' (inclusive), which can be confusing for beginners.
- ते (Te) / त्या (Tya)
- While these usually mean 'they', they are sometimes used in a highly respectful singular sense to refer to a third person, but never as a direct replacement for तू.
'तू' vs 'तुम्ही'
In some dialects of Marathi, like the one spoken in the Varadi region, तू might be replaced by slightly different phonetic variations, but in Standard Marathi (Pune/Mumbai), तू remains the undisputed standard. Understanding the contrast between तू and 'Tumhi' is perhaps the most important lesson in Marathi pragmatics.
How Formal Is It?
Curiosidade
The word 'Tu' has cognates in almost all Indo-European languages, including Latin 'tu', French 'tu', and even the archaic English 'thou'.
Guia de pronúncia
- Pronouncing the 'T' as an alveolar 'T' (like in 'Table') instead of a dental 'T' (tongue on teeth).
- Dragging the vowel 'u' for too long.
- Using a breathy 'h' sound after the 'T'.
Nível de dificuldade
Very easy to recognize as it's a two-letter word.
Easy to write, but remembering the accompanying verb endings is harder.
Difficult for learners to judge the social appropriateness of using it.
Clearly audible in speech.
O que aprender depois
Pré-requisitos
Aprenda a seguir
Avançado
Gramática essencial
Second Person Singular Verb Agreement
तू खातोस (M), तू खातेस (F).
Oblique Base Transformation
Tu becomes Tujha- when adding postpositions.
Imperative Mood
Informal command uses the base root of the verb (e.g., Tu ये).
Past Tense Intransitive
Subject-verb agreement: Tu gelas.
Dative Construction for Liking
Tula bhuk lagli ahe (You are hungry).
Exemplos por nível
तू कोण आहेस?
Who are you?
Simple present tense with 'to be' verb.
तू कुठे आहेस?
Where are you?
Interrogative sentence.
तू पाणी पी.
You drink water.
Imperative (command) form.
तू हुशार आहेस.
You are clever.
Adjective usage with 'tu'.
तू काय करतोस?
What are you doing? (to a male)
Masculine verb ending 'tos'.
तू काय करतेस?
What are you doing? (to a female)
Feminine verb ending 'tes'.
तू इकडे ये.
You come here.
Informal imperative.
तू माझा मित्र आहेस.
You are my friend.
Possessive 'mazha' used with 'tu'.
तू काल कुठे गेलास?
Where did you go yesterday? (to a male)
Past tense masculine ending 'las'.
तू काल कुठे गेलीस?
Where did you go yesterday? (to a female)
Past tense feminine ending 'lis'.
तू उद्या येशील का?
Will you come tomorrow?
Future tense ending 'shil'.
तू अभ्यास केलास का?
Did you study?
Past tense transitive verb.
तुझा मोबाईल कुठे आहे?
Where is your mobile?
Possessive 'tujha'.
तू खूप छान गातेस.
You sing very well.
Adverb 'khup' with feminine verb.
तू जेवलास का?
Did you eat?
Very common daily question.
तू हे काम करशील का?
Will you do this work?
Future tense request.
तू आल्याशिवाय मी जाणार नाही.
I won't go until you come.
Use of 'tu' with a conditional clause.
तुला काय हवे आहे?
What do you want?
Dative form 'tula'.
तू माझ्याशी खोटे का बोललास?
Why did you lie to me?
Postposition 'shi' with 'mazhya'.
तू तिथे वेळेवर पोहोचला पाहिजेस.
You must reach there on time.
Obligation using 'pahijes'.
तू जे सांगतोस ते मला पटत नाही.
I don't agree with what you say.
Relative pronoun clause.
तू गेल्यावर मला खूप एकटे वाटले.
I felt very lonely after you left.
Adverbial clause of time.
तू प्रयत्न केलास तर तू नक्की यशस्वी होशील.
If you try, you will surely succeed.
Conditional 'if-then' structure.
तुझ्यामुळे माझे काम सोपे झाले.
My work became easy because of you.
Causal postposition 'mule'.
तू जर आधी सांगितला असतास, तर मी तुला मदत केली असती.
If you had told me earlier, I would have helped you.
Past conditional (unreal).
तू अशा प्रकारे लोकांशी वागता कामा नये.
You should not behave with people in this manner.
Prohibitive 'kaama naye'.
तू नक्कीच काहीतरी लपवत आहेस.
You are definitely hiding something.
Continuous present with emphasis.
तू स्वतःला काय समजतोस?
What do you think of yourself?
Reflexive 'swatahala'.
तू हे धाडस कसे काय केलेस?
How on earth did you do this daring act?
Emphatic question.
तू कितीही प्रयत्न केलास तरी ते शक्य नाही.
No matter how much you try, it's not possible.
Concessive clause 'kitibi... tari'.
तू जेवढे कष्ट करशील, तेवढे फळ तुला मिळेल.
The more you work hard, the more fruit you will get.
Proportional clause 'jevde... tevde'.
तू माझ्या शब्दाचा मान राखला नाहीस.
You did not respect my word.
Idiomatic expression 'shabdacha maan rakhne'.
तू नसताना या घराला घरपण उरत नाही.
When you are not here, this house doesn't feel like a home.
Abstract noun 'gharpan'.
तू मांडलेला हा विचार खरोखरच क्रांतीकारक आहे.
The thought you have presented is truly revolutionary.
Perfect participle as adjective.
तू संकटात धिर सोडता कामा नये, हेच तू विसरलास.
You forgot that you must not lose courage in crisis.
Complex sentence with nested clauses.
तू आणि मी, आपण दोघे मिळून हे जग बदलू शकतो.
You and I, together we can change this world.
Inclusive 'aapan' following 'tu ani mi'.
तू जे पेरलेस तेच तुला आता कापायला लागणार आहे.
You will have to reap exactly what you sowed.
Karmic idiom/proverbial usage.
तू माझ्या आयुष्यातील एक अविभाज्य भाग आहेस.
You are an inseparable part of my life.
Advanced vocabulary 'avibhajya'.
तू केवळ एक व्यक्ती नसून एक विचार आहेस.
You are not just a person, but an idea.
Correlative conjunction 'nasun... tar'.
तू या विषयावर अधिक सखोल अभ्यास करायला हवा होतास.
You should have studied this subject more deeply.
Past obligation with 'hawa hotas'.
तूच तो, ज्याची मी अनेक युगांपासून वाट पाहत होतो.
You are the one I have been waiting for for many ages.
Archaic/Poetic structure.
तू तुझ्या कर्माने तुझे नशीब घडवत असतोस.
You keep shaping your destiny through your actions.
Habitual present tense.
तू जर स्वत्वाचा शोध घेतलास, तरच तुला सत्य गवसले.
Only if you seek your true self will you find the truth.
Philosophical use of 'tu'.
तू शब्दांच्या पलीकडले भाव समजून घेण्याचा प्रयत्न कर.
Try to understand the emotions beyond words.
Metaphorical expression.
तू या विश्वाचा एक सूक्ष्म पण महत्त्वाचा अंश आहेस.
You are a tiny but important part of this universe.
Cosmic perspective.
तू जेवढा स्वतःला ओळखशील, तेवढाच तू मुक्त होशील.
The more you know yourself, the more free you will become.
Complex conditional with 'mukta' (free).
तू तुझ्या अहंकाराचा त्याग केल्याशिवाय शांती मिळवू शकणार नाहीस.
You won't be able to attain peace without sacrificing your ego.
Negative potential with 'shaknar nahis'.
तू आणि तुझे अस्तित्व हे निसर्गाचे एक अद्भूत देणे आहे.
You and your existence are a wonderful gift of nature.
Formal philosophical address.
Sinônimos
Antônimos
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Frequentemente confundido com
Tumhi is formal/plural, Tu is informal/singular.
To means 'He', Tu means 'You'.
Tuch is the emphatic form meaning 'Only you'.
Expressões idiomáticas
— To have a heated argument or verbal spat.
त्यांच्यात किरकोळ कारणावरून तू तू मै मै झाली.
Colloquial— A situation where both parties are pretending or acting in a fake drama.
राजकारणात नेहमी 'तू मारल्यासारखे कर, मी रडल्यासारखे करतो' असे चालते.
Sarcastic— You are the creator of your own destiny.
कोणावर अवलंबून राहू नकोस, तूच तुझा जीवनाचा शिल्पकार आहेस.
Inspirational— You are like my shadow (always with me).
तू माझी सावली आहेस, तुझ्याशिवाय मी काहीच नाही.
Romantic— Wherever you are, I will be there (Inseparable).
आपली मैत्री अशी आहे की तू तिथे मी असणारच.
Poetic— Who are you and who am I? (Signifying a break in relationship).
एकदा भांडण झाले की तू कोण आणि मी कोण, असे होते.
Confrontational— I exist because you exist (Deep gratitude).
आई, तू आहेस म्हणून मी आहे.
Emotional— If you are good, I am better (One-upmanship).
त्याने मला धमकावले पण मीही त्याला दाखवून दिले, तू शेर तर मी सव्वा शेर.
Defiant— If not you, then someone else (Casual attitude).
तो खूप गर्विष्ठ आहे, तो म्हणतो तू नाही तर दुसरी.
SlangFácil de confundir
Similar sound.
Tulna is a noun meaning 'Comparison', whereas Tu is a pronoun.
तू माझी तुलना कोणाशीही करू नकोस.
One letter difference.
Tup means 'Ghee' (clarified butter).
तू जेवणात तूप घे.
Linguistic root similarity.
Tulya is an adjective meaning 'Equivalent' or 'Equal'.
तो तुझ्या तुल्य आहे.
Common word starting with 'Tu'.
Tulsi is the Holy Basil plant.
तू तुलसीला पाणी घाल.
Padrões de frases
तू [Adjective] आहेस.
तू हुशार आहेस.
तू [Noun] आहेस का?
तू डॉक्टर आहेस का?
तू [Object] [Verb-tos/tes].
तू आंबा खातोस.
तू [Time] [Verb-las/lis].
तू काल आलास.
तुला [Noun] [Verb-te/to].
तुला संगीत आवडते.
तू [Verb-un] बघ.
तू करून बघ.
तू [Verb-lyamule] [Result].
तू आल्यामुळे मला आनंद झाला.
तू [Verb-ayla] हवा होतास.
तू सांगायला हवा होतास.
Família de palavras
Substantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Relacionado
Como usar
Extremely High (Top 10 most used words)
Memorize
Mnemônico
Think of the English word 'Too'. When you say 'You too!', remember that 'Tu' means 'You' in Marathi.
Associação visual
Imagine pointing a single finger at a close friend. That single finger represents the singular 'Tu'.
Word Web
Desafio
Try to use 'Tu' in 5 different sentences today, but only when talking to your pet or a very close friend.
Origem da palavra
Derived from the Sanskrit word 'त्वम्' (Tvam), which is the second-person singular pronoun in Indo-Aryan languages.
Significado original: You (singular).
Indo-European > Indo-Iranian > Indo-Aryan > Marathi.Contexto cultural
Be extremely careful. Using 'Tu' with a boss, a teacher, or a father-in-law in Maharashtra can be seen as a sign of poor upbringing (un-sanskari).
English speakers often struggle because they are used to a single 'you'. Think of 'Tu' as the 'Thou' of Shakespeare, but used for intimacy rather than antiquity.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
At Home
- तू जेवलास का?
- तू कुठे आहेस?
- तू झोप.
- तू अभ्यास कर.
With Friends
- तू येणार का?
- तू काय आणले आहेस?
- तू चल माझ्यासोबत.
- तू खूप हसवतोस.
In a Fight
- तू कोण आहेस?
- तू गप्प बस!
- तू मला शिकवू नकोस.
- तू खोटा आहेस.
Romantic
- तू माझी आहेस.
- तू खूप सुंदर दिसतेस.
- तू मला आवडतेस.
- तू कायम सोबत राहा.
Spiritual
- तूच दाता, तूच त्राता.
- तू माझा देव.
- तू पाठीशी राहा.
- तू सर्वकाही जाणतोस.
Iniciadores de conversa
"तू आज काय काय केलेस?"
"तू सुट्टीत कुठे जाणार आहेस?"
"तू माझा एक छोटासा निरोप देशील का?"
"तू कालचा सामना पाहिलास का?"
"तू याबद्दल काय विचार करतोस?"
Temas para diário
तू तुझ्या आयुष्यात कोणाला सर्वात जास्त मानतोस आणि का?
तू जर उद्या पंतप्रधान झालास, तर तू पहिले काय करशील?
तू तुझ्या बालपणातील सर्वात आठवणीत राहणारी गोष्ट लिही.
तू स्वतःला पाच वर्षांनंतर कुठे पाहतोस?
तू तुझ्या सर्वात जवळच्या मित्राबद्दल माहिती लिही.
Summary
The word 'तू' is the heartbeat of informal Marathi conversation, signaling intimacy and closeness, but it must be used with caution as its incorrect application can cause social offense. Example: 'तू माझा जीव आहेस' (You are my life).
- Informal singular 'you' used for close relationships.
- Requires gender-specific verb endings (-tos for male, -tes for female).
- Should never be used with elders or strangers to avoid being rude.
- Forms the basis for possessives like 'tujha' and dative 'tula'.
