In this post we’re looking at words for you and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *tū = you (singular), thou *towe = your, thy |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | tu = you (singular), thou |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | tú [t̪uː] = you (singular) tussu, túsu [ˈt̪u.su] = you (singular, emphatic) do = your (singular) |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | tú, tu = you (singular) túsu, túsu, tussu, tússu = you (singular, emphatic) do = your (singular) |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | tú [t̪ˠuː] = you (singular) tú fhéin [t̪ˠuː heːnʲ] = yourself tusa [ˈt̪ˠɞsˠə / ˈt̪ˠɨsˠə] = you (singular, emphatic) do = your (singular) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | thu [u] = you (singular) thu fhèin [u heːn] = yourself thusa [ˈusə] = you (singular, emphatic) do [də] = your (singular), thy |
| Manx (Gaelg) | oo [u(ː)] = you (singular) oo-hene [u heːn] = yourself uss [ˈt̪u.su] = you (singular, emphatic) dty = your (singular) |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ti = you (singular) |
| Old Welsh (Kembraec) | ti = you (singular) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ti, ty = you (singular), thou, thee titheu, thithau = you too, you also, even you dy (… di) = your (singular), thy, thine |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ti [tiː] = you (singular) chdi [χdiː] = you (singular – northern) tithau [ˈtɪθaɨ̯] = you too, you also, even you chdithau [ˈχdiːθaɨ̯] = you too, etc (northern) dy (… di) [də] = your (singular) dy hun(an) [də ˈhɨ̞nan / də ˈhiːnan] = yourself |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) | ti, te, ty = thou, thee da, dha, dhe = your (singular) |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ty, che, chy = you (singular) dha, ‘th = your (singular) dha honan = yourself |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | ti, te = you (singular) |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | te = you (singular) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | te [teː] = you (singular) te ivez [teː] = you (singular, emphatic) teal [ˈteː.al] = to address someone informally (with te) da = your (singular) da-unan = yourself |
Etymology: from PIE *túh₂ (you, thou) [source] and *téwe (your) [source]. Many words for you (singular) in other Indo-European languages come from the same roots [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *swīs = you (plural) *swīswīs = you (plural, emphatic) |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | suis = you (plural) |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sib, sí(i) [ˈsʲiβʲ / ˈsʲiː] = you (plural), ye sibsi, sissi [ˈsʲiβʲ / ˈsʲi.sʲi] = you (plural, emphatic) for = your (plural) |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | sib = you (plural) sis(s)i = you (plural, emphatic) for, far = your (plural) |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sibh [ʃɪvʲ] = you (plural) sibh fhéin [ʃɪvʲ heːnʲ] = yourselves sibhse [ˈʃivʲʃə] = you (plural, emphatic) bhur = your (plural) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sibh [ʃɪv] = you (plural) sibh fhèin [ʃɪv heːnʲ] = yourselves sibhsa [ʃiːvʃə] = you (plural, emphatic) ur n- [ər n] = your (plural) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shiu [ʃuː] = you (plural) shiu-hene [ʃuːhen] = yourselves shiush [ˈʃuːʃ] = you (plural, emphatic) nyn = your (plural) |
| Proto-Brythonic | *hwi = you (plural) *hwihwi = you (plural, emphatic) |
| Old Welsh (Kembraec) | hui = you (plural) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | chwi, chi = you, ye (plural) chw(i)chwi = you, ye (plural, emphatic), you yourselves y ch, ych, ‘ch = your (plural) |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | chwi, chi [χ(w)ɪ] = you (plural) chi hun(ain) [χɪ ˈhɨ̞n(ai̯n) / ˈhiːn(ai̯n)] = yourselves chithau [ˈχɪθaɨ̯ / ˈχɪθai̯] = you also, and you too chwychwi, chwchwim chychwi = you (plural, emphatic), you yourselves eich (… chi) [ei̯χ] = your (plural) |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) | hwi, hwî, why = ye, you (plural) agas, ages, agis, agos, agys = your (plural) ages honan = yourselves |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hwi, hwei = you (plural) hwyhwi = you (plural, emphatic) agas, ‘gas, ‘s [aɡəs / aɡəz] = your (plural) agas honan = yourselves |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | hui = you (plural) |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | huy = you (plural) hoz, ho = your (plural) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | c’hwi, hwi [ˈxwiː] = you (plural) c’hwi ivez = you (plural, emphatic) c’hwial [ˈxwiːal] = to address someone formally (with c’hwi) ho, hoc’h = your (plural) hoc’h-unan = yourselves |
Etymology: from PIE *wos, the oblique form of *yúHs (you (plural)) [source]. Many words for you (plural) in other Indo-European languages come from the same roots [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
