Shakespearean English · Free lesson
Thou, thee, thy, thine and ye
Meanings, examples and practice
Thou and thee both mean “you”. Thy means “your”, thine means “yours” or “your”, and ye is another older form of “you”. Which one you use depends on its job in the sentence.
Shakespeare pronouns at a glance
| Word | Meaning and use | Example → modern English |
|---|---|---|
| thou | you One person, as the subject: the person doing or being something. | Thou art kind. → You are kind. |
| thee | you One person, as the object: after a verb or a preposition. | I give this to thee. → I give this to you. |
| thy | your Possession before a noun, usually beginning with a consonant sound. | Take thy book. → Take your book. |
| thine | yours / your Possession on its own; also before a noun, especially a vowel sound. | This book is thine. Open thine eyes. → This book is yours. Open your eyes. |
| ye | you The older subject form for several people; also used for one person politely. | Hear ye! → Listen, all of you! |
These are Early Modern English forms, the English of Shakespeare. The thy/thine pattern was flexible: “thine eyes” is common, but Shakespeare also writes “thy eternal summer” in Sonnet 18. Ye and you also overlap in use by his time.
What is “the” in Shakespearean English?
The article the stays the: “the king” still means “the king”. Theeis a different word. It means “you” as an object, as in “I thank thee” (“I thank you”). Don't replace every “the” with “thee”.
Thou vs. thee: use the I/me test
The difference works like I and me. “I love you” becomes “I love thee”: thee is the object of love. “You love me” becomes “Thou lovest me”: thou is the subject.
After a preposition, use thee: to thee, with thee, for thee. For possession, use thy or thine: “thy book” and “the book is thine”.
See both forms in Sonnet 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
In modern English:Shall I compare you to a summer's day? You are more lovely and more mild.
In the first line, I do the comparing and thee is the person I compare. In the second, thou is the subject and artmeans “are”. Read the whole sonnet with its translation.
Why does Shakespeare switch between thou and you?
You could address several people or one person politely. Thouaddressed one person and could suggest closeness, affection, lower status or contempt. It was not automatically a more respectful “you”.
A switch can signal a change in the relationship. Read it alongside the speaker's tone and the scene: thou alone does not prove love or anger.
Thou art, thou hast, thou dost
Thou also has its own verb forms. Here are six you will meet often:
| With thou | With you |
|---|---|
| thou art | you are |
| thou hast | you have |
| thou dost | you do |
| thou wilt | you will |
| thou shalt | you shall |
| thou wast / wert | you were |
Regular present-tense verbs usually take -est or -st: thou knowest, thou lovest, thou speakest. With you, use the familiar forms: you know, you love, you speak. After dost, wilt or shalt, the next verb stays plain: thou dost know, not “thou dost knowest”.
Try three quick questions
Practice choosing the right pronoun and verb. Each answer comes with an explanation. No account needed.
Next lesson: The Verbs That Follow Thou.