Thou facts for kids
The word thou is an old English word for "you" when you're talking to just one person. Think of it like the word "you" but only for a single person. It's not used much anymore, but you might still hear it in some parts of Northern England and Scotland.
Here's how "thou" changes:
- Thou is used when it's the subject of a sentence (like "he" or "she").
- Thee is used when it's the object of a sentence (like "him" or "her").
- Thy or thine means "your" or "yours."
- Thyself means "yourself."
When you use "thou," the verb often ends with -(e)st, like "thou goest" (you go) or "thou doest" (you do). But some verbs are different, like "thou art" (you are) or "thou shalt" (you shall).
Long ago, "thou" was simply the word for one person, and "ye" was for more than one. But around the 1300s, people started using "thou" and "thee" to show if they were being friendly, formal, or even rude. At the same time, "ye" and "you" (which were originally for groups) began to be used for single people, especially when talking to important people or strangers.
By the 1600s, "thou" mostly disappeared from everyday English. It was sometimes seen as impolite. However, it continued to be used in some parts of England and Scotland. It also stayed common in Christian prayers and in poetry.
Early English Bibles, like the King James Version, used "thou" to talk to one person and "ye" for many. This was because the original Hebrew and Greek languages of the Bible had different words for singular and plural "you." So, "thou," "thee," "thy," and "thine" were for one person, and "ye," "you," "your," and "yours" were for groups.
Today, "thou" is still found in religious services, wedding ceremonies, and old books or poems. Because of this, many people connect "thou" with serious or formal situations. Since "thou" and "ye" are gone from most English, new words have popped up for "you" (plural), like "y'all" (in the Southern United States) or "yous" (in some other places).
Contents
How "Thou" Works
Since "thou" isn't used much anymore, people sometimes get its old forms mixed up.
Verb Endings
When you use "thou," verbs usually end in -est or -st. This happens for both present and past tense verbs.
Here are some examples:
- To know: thou knowest (you know), thou knewest (you knew)
- To make: thou makest (you make), thou madest (you made)
- To love: thou lovest (you love), thou lovedst (you loved)
Special verbs also get -(e)st:
- Can: thou canst (you can)
- Could: thou couldst (you could)
- May: thou mayest (you may)
- Should: thou shouldst (you should)
- Would: thou wouldst (you would)
Some verbs have unusual "thou" forms:
- To be: thou art (you are), thou wast (you were)
- To have: thou hast (you have), thou hadst (you had)
- To do: thou dost (you do), thou didst (you did)
- Shall: thou shalt (you shall)
- Will: thou wilt (you will)
A few verbs don't change at all:
- Must: thou must (you must)
Where "Thou" Came From
The word "thou" comes from the Old English word þū. It has roots in a very old language called Proto-Indo-European. This means "thou" is related to similar words for "you" (singular) in many other languages around the world, like German (du), Latin (tu), Spanish (tú), and Russian (ty).
A Brief History
Old and Middle English
In Old English, the rule for "thou" was simple: use "thou" for one person and "ye" for more than one. But starting in the 1300s, people began to use the plural "ye" when talking to someone important, and later, even to equals. "Thou" then became more common for talking to someone less important.
This idea of using different words for "you" based on politeness or social standing came from French. In French, tu was for close friends or family, or could be rude to a stranger, while vous was more formal. English adopted a similar idea.
Why "Thou" Disappeared
Pretty quickly in the 1600s, "thou" started to fade away in standard English, especially around London. It was often seen as impolite or confusing. It did stick around in some regional dialects of England and Scotland, and among religious groups like the Quakers.
One big reason "thou" disappeared was that "you" became the polite way to speak. People found it safer to use "you" for everyone, rather than risking offending someone by using "thou" incorrectly.
This change means that when we read old texts, like Shakespeare's plays (written from 1589 to 1613), it can be tricky to understand all the social hints. Shakespeare's characters often use "thou" when talking to someone below them, a close friend or family member, or someone they dislike.
For example, in Hamlet, Hamlet uses "you" to his mother, Queen Gertrude, to show his anger, even though she uses "thou" to him:
- Queen Gertrude: Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. (Hamlet, you have offended your father.)
- Hamlet: Mother, you have my father much offended. (Mother, you have offended my father.)
How "Thou" Is Used Today
As a Verb
In some European languages, there are verbs that mean "to use the informal 'you' word." For example, in German, duzen means "to 'du' someone."
Even though it's rare in English, the word "thou" was sometimes used as a verb. For instance, at the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh in 1603, a lawyer tried to insult Raleigh by saying:
- I thou thee, thou traitor!
- This meant: I call you "thou," you traitor!
In some northern English dialects, you might still hear phrases like:
- Don't thee tha them as thas thee!
- Meaning: Don't use the familiar word "tha" (a local version of "thou") towards people who use "tha" with you.
In Religion
Many Christians still use "Thee," "Thou," "Thy," and "Thine" when they pray to God. This is done to show respect and reverence. For example, in the King James Version of the Bible, you might read: "For Thou hast delivered my soul from death" (Psalm 56:12-13).
When William Tyndale translated the Bible into English in the 1500s, he used "thou" for one person and "ye" for many, just like the original Hebrew and Greek texts. This became very common because so many people read the King James Bible.
The Quakers (a Christian group) traditionally used "thee" as an everyday word. This was part of their belief in "plain speaking" and treating everyone equally. While most Quakers don't do this anymore, some still do.
In the Latter-day Saint faith, "thee" and "thou" are always used when praying to God as a sign of deep respect.
In Books and Songs
Today, when "thou" is used, it often makes things sound serious, old, or poetic. You'll find it in readings from the King James Bible, in Shakespeare's plays, and in formal writings that want to sound old-fashioned.
You might hear "thou" in modern songs or movies that want to create an old or grand feeling. For example, in the movie The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader says to the Emperor: "What is thy bidding, my master?" (What is your command, my master?).
In Leonard Cohen's song "Bird on the Wire", he sings: "I will make it all up to thee." And in Diana Ross's song "Upside Down", she sings: "Respectfully I say to thee I'm aware that you're cheatin'."
Sometimes, writers use "thou" or its verb endings in a funny way to make speech sound old or formal, even if it's not quite correct.
Still Used Today
While "you" is the main word for both one person and many people in English, "thou" still exists in some places.
In English Dialects
In some traditional dialects in English counties like Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire, "thou" is still used. These dialects often keep special verb forms for "thou" too. For example, in Yorkshire, people might say "tha" (for "thou") and "thee" (for "thee").
- In rural North Lancashire, you might hear "What would tha like for thi tea?" (What would you like for your dinner?).
- Comedian Peter Kay, from Bolton (in Lancashire), uses the phrase "Has tha nowt moist?” (Have you got nothing moist?) in his routines.
- The band Kaiser Chiefs from Leeds used "thee" in their song "I Predict a Riot" ("Watching the people get lairy / is not very pretty, I tell thee").
- The band Arctic Monkeys from Sheffield often use "tha knows" (you know) in their songs.
The word "thou" also appears in some West Country dialects and in the Orcadian and Shetland Scots dialects.
In Movies
You can sometimes hear "thou" in films that show certain English dialects. For example, in Ken Loach's films like Kes and The Price of Coal, characters use "thou" often. It's also used in the 2018 film Peterloo by working-class characters.
See also
- T–V distinction
