Capitalization Rules for ‘Вы’ in Russian

You may have noticed that in Russian the pronoun “вы” (you, plural or formal singular) is sometimes written with a capital letter and sometimes not, depending on the context and the intended meaning. Same happens with related case forms and possesive pronouns (Вас, Вам, Ваш, Вашей etc.) Let’s figure out what it depends on.

1. Start of a Sentence: Naturally, when “вы” begins a sentence, it is capitalized regardless of formality or number. For instance, “Вы видели мою сестру?” (Did you see my sister?) or “Вы сегодня на работе?” (Are you at work today?).
2. Formal Address: When addressing someone formally, “вы” and its derivatives are capitalized as a sign of respect. For example, when addressing someone older, in a position of authority, or simply someone you do not know well, it’s common to use a capital letter.
   “Как Вы поживаете?” (How are you?)
   “Спасибо Вам за помощь” (Thank you for your help)
   “Мы очень ценим Вашу поддержку” (We really appreciate your support).

   Here we must note that this norm is getting outdated. Fewer and fewer people adhere to this rule in everyday communication. In particular, you will almost never see this in instant messengers.

3. Plural Address: When “вы” is used to address multiple people, it is not capitalized, regardless of formality. For example, “Студенты, вы меня понимаете?” (Students, do you understand me?) or “Маша и Катя, я дам вам ключи” (Masha and Katya, I will give you the keys.).