# thee

/ˈði/ (US) · /ðˈiː/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Pronoun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thee
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

an old-fashioned way to say 'you'. It is used when 'you' is the object of a sentence, like when someone gives something to you.

For teachers: the objective case of the second-person singular pronoun 'thou'. Archaic or literary in register; still used in some regional dialects and religious contexts.

## Examples

- I give this gift to thee.
- The poet wrote a beautiful sonnet expressing how much he cherished the time spent with thee.
- In many traditional hymns and classical literary works, the speaker addresses the divine or a beloved using thee to signify a specific level of intimacy or reverence.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Thee are my friend" but "Thou art my friend" — Thee is the object form; thou is the subject form used before a verb.

## Usage notes

- Functions as the object of a verb or preposition, corresponding to the modern 'you'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.