you guys
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English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (stressed)
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈju ˌɡaɪz/
- (unstressed)
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈju ˌɡaɪz/, /ˌju ˈɡaɪz/
- (in vocative expressions)
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˌju ˈɡaɪz/
Audio (AU) (file)
Pronoun[edit]
- (colloquial) You (plural).
- Hey you guys!
Usage notes[edit]
- The term guy is generally restricted to males, as in Was that a guy or a girl?, but the form you guys may be used for groups of any combination of genders whether it is all male, all female or any combination.
- Some speakers don't perceive this form as gender-neutral and thus avoid it.[1][2]
- Unlike y'all or the French vous, you guys is typically used only as an identifier, meaning it is said only once in a short conversation, and thereafter you is used. This is due to Modern English's lack of differentiation between singular and plural "you". For example:
- I'm going to be on the outside basketball court at noon if you guys want to practice. You should bring some water because it's going to be hot.
- Generally the standard your is used as the possessive. However, possessive forms like you guys' and you guys's are also used; your guys's (with a change of you to your) is nonstandard, limited to colloquial or dialectal speech.
Alternative forms[edit]
Also constructed with alternative forms of plural you:
Synonyms[edit]
- see the list of other second-person pronouns in you