Cool MateYou are vs You're
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
You are
High-frequency chunk
You're
High-frequency chunk
| You are | You're | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //jʊ əː//🇺🇸 //ju ɑːr// | 🇬🇧 //jʊə/ər//🇺🇸 //jʊr// |
| Meaning | A way to say or ask about someone. | You are (a contraction) |
| Example | You are going to love this movie. | You're going to love this movie! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | High-frequency chunk |
| Collocations | you are welcome, you are right, you are here | you're welcome, you're right, you're joking, you're amazing |
| Antonyms | - | you're not, you are not |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'you is' when referring to a singular subject., Omitting 'are' in questions like 'What you doing?', Using 'you are' in a context that requires a contraction like 'you're'. | Confused with 'your', which shows possession., Written as 'your' when meaning 'you are'., Overused in formal contexts where 'you are' is preferable. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in questions and statements to indicate someone's action or state of being. Suitable for casual and formal contexts. | Use 'you're' in informal and neutral contexts to indicate 'you are'. Avoid in formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: You are vs You're
What's the difference between You are and You're?
You are: A way to say or ask about someone. You're: You are (a contraction)
Can you show an example of each?
You are: You are going to love this movie. You're: You're going to love this movie!
Can I use You are and You're interchangeably?
Not always. You are and You're are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.