εσύ vs εσείς (T–V Distinction) | Greek Grammar

Modern Greek has two ways to address “you.” Εσύ is singular and familiar; εσείς is either genuinely plural or a polite/formal singular. English lost this distinction, so English speakers must learn to hear it in verb endings, greetings, possessives, and requests even when Greek omits the pronoun itself.

The grammar is firm: εσύ takes second-person singular forms and εσείς takes second-person plural forms. The social choice is flexible. Age, role, setting, region, generation, workplace culture, and the relationship's history all affect which form speakers choose.

The basic contrast

Addressee	Pronoun	Verb	Possessive/clitic	Typical setting
one familiar person	εσύ	2nd singular	σου / σε	friends, family, children, established peers
one person politely	εσείς	2nd plural	σας	formal first contact, officials, respectful distance
two or more people	εσείς	2nd plural	σας	any register; this is ordinary grammatical plural

Πώς είσαι, Άννα; Όλα καλά;

pos íse, Ána; óla kalá;

How are you, Anna? Everything all right? (informal singular)

Πώς είστε, κυρία Κωνσταντίνου;

pos íste, kiría Konstandínu;

How are you, Mrs Konstantinou? (polite singular)

Πώς είστε, παιδιά; Περάσατε καλά;

pos íste, pedhiá; perásate kalá;

How are you all? Did you have a good time? (real plural, informal)

The last two use identical plural verbs. Only the addressee and context tell you whether είστε refers politely to one person or literally to several.

Greek normally omits both pronouns because the ending already signals the choice. Θέλεις; is familiar singular and Θέλετε; is plural or polite without overt εσύ/εσείς.

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Listen to the ending before searching for a pronoun: -εις/-ας often signals familiar singular, while -ετε marks plural or polite address.

The whole package changes together

The contrast extends beyond one verb. A familiar turn uses singular verbs and σε/σου; a polite or plural turn uses plural verbs and σας.

Θέλεις να καθίσουμε έξω; Να σου φέρω μια ζακέτα;

thélis na kathísume ékso; na su féro mia zakéta;

Do you want us to sit outside? Shall I bring you a cardigan? (informal singular)

Θέλετε να καθίσουμε έξω; Να σας φέρω μια ζακέτα;

thélete na kathísume ékso; na sas féro mia zakéta;

Would you like us to sit outside? Shall I bring you a cardigan? (polite singular)

Greetings show the same pairing: γεια σου versus γεια σας. Requests pair μπορείς να…; with familiar singular and μπορείτε να…; with plural/polite address. For the pronoun paradigm itself, see strong subject pronouns.

One polite person: plural verb, singular description

When εσείς politely addresses one person, the verb remains plural, but a predicate adjective describes that person's actual gender and number.

Κυρία Θεοδώρου, είστε έτοιμη να περάσετε στο γραφείο;

kiría Theodhóru, íste étimi na perásete sto ghrafío;

Mrs Theodorou, are you ready to come into the office? (polite to one woman)

Κύριε Ράπτη, είστε σίγουρος ότι θέλετε να συνεχίσετε;

kírie Rápti, íste síghuros óti thélete na sinechísete;

Mr Raptis, are you sure you want to continue? (polite to one man)

Παιδιά, είστε έτοιμοι να φύγουμε;

pedhiá, íste étimi na fíghume;

Are you all ready for us to leave? (actual plural)

In all three examples the verb is είστε. The adjectives έτοιμη, σίγουρος are singular for one polite addressee; έτοιμοι is plural for a group.

Choosing safely without inventing rigid rules

Familiar singular is normal with family, close friends, children, and many peers (informal). Polite plural is common with officials, older strangers, formal professional contacts, and situations where respectful distance is expected (formal). Between those poles, practice varies.

A café, shop, university, creative workplace, or online exchange may move to εσύ very quickly. Another speaker of the same age may prefer εσείς during a first contact. Families, towns, regions, and generations differ, and Greek-speaking communities outside Greece may maintain their own expectations. No age threshold or job title predicts every encounter.

When the context is unclear, beginning with εσείς is cautious. If the other person immediately uses familiar singular to you, that is evidence—but not always a direct invitation, because address can be asymmetrical. An older person may use εσύ to a younger adult who continues with respectful εσείς. Such asymmetry can encode age or institutional role and is not automatically a grammatical mistake.

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Do not treat reciprocity as mechanical. Match when the relationship supports it; in an unequal or ceremonial setting, listen for an explicit invitation or an established local pattern.

Moving from εσείς to εσύ

As a relationship becomes warmer, speakers may negotiate a shift to the singular. A useful neutral formula is Να μιλάμε στον ενικό;—literally, “Shall we speak in the singular?”

Να μιλάμε στον ενικό; Συνεργαζόμαστε τόσο καιρό.

na miláme ston enikó; sinerghazómaste tóso keró

Shall we use first-name terms? We've worked together for so long.

Βέβαια· λέγε με Άρη και άσε το «κύριε».

vévea; léye me Ári ke áse to kírie

Of course—call me Aris and drop the ‘sir.’

Another common formula is Μπορούμε να μιλάμε στον ενικό;. A senior or older person often offers the change, but this is a tendency, not an exclusive right. Peers can negotiate it directly, and some relationships remain on εσείς for years without hostility. The nuanced social scenarios belong to shifting between εσύ and εσείς.

Returning to εσείς after an established mutual εσύ can deliberately create distance, but it can also happen after a role change or in a public setting. Context decides whether the shift is cold, respectful, humorous, or procedural.

English gives no automatic warning

English “you” hides both number and politeness. Before speaking Greek, decide two questions: one person or several? familiar or polite? Then carry that answer through the verb, clitics, possessives, greeting, and request.

Μπορείτε να γράψετε το όνομά σας εδώ;

boríte na ghrápsete to ónomá sas edhó;

Could you write your name here? (polite singular or plural)

Μπορείς να γράψεις το όνομά σου εδώ;

borís na ghrápsis to ónomá su edhó;

Can you write your name here? (informal singular)

Greek does not need overt εσείς/εσύ in either line. The endings and possessives already make the distinction audible.

Common Mistakes

1. Pairing overt εσείς with a singular verb.

❌ Εσείς θέλεις να περιμένεις εδώ;

Incorrect—εσείς requires plural θέλετε and περιμένετε.

✅ Εσείς θέλετε να περιμένετε εδώ;

esís thélete na periménete edhó;

Would you like to wait here? (polite singular or plural)

2. Mixing a polite plural verb with familiar singular forms later in the request.

❌ Μπορείτε να μου δώσεις τη διεύθυνσή σου;

Incorrect—the polite/plural package requires δώσετε and σας.

✅ Μπορείτε να μου δώσετε τη διεύθυνσή σας;

boríte na mu dhósete ti dhiéfthinsí sas;

Could you give me your address? (polite)

3. Misspelling the polite/plural pronoun with η.

❌ Εσής θα μείνετε εδώ;

Incorrect spelling—the pronoun is εσείς with -είς.

✅ Εσείς θα μείνετε εδώ;

esís tha mínete edhó;

Will you be staying here? (polite singular or plural)

Key Takeaways

Εσύ + singular verb + σε/σου addresses one familiar person.
Εσείς + plural verb + σας addresses several people or one person politely.
With one polite addressee, the verb is plural but a predicate adjective is singular and matches the person's gender.
Social selection varies by relationship, role, region, generation, and setting; avoid universal age or workplace rules.
Relationships can negotiate τον ενικό, but shifts and even asymmetrical address must be read in context.

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