we

Signification

1. The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person (not the person being addressed). (This is the exclusive we.)
2. The speaker(s)/writer(s) and the person(s) being addressed. (This is the inclusive we.)
3. The institution which the speaker/writer is acting for. (This is the editorial we, used by writers and others when speaking with the authority of their publication or organisation.)
4. The sovereign alone in their capacity as monarch. (This is the royal we. The reflexive case of this sense of we is ourself.)
5. The plural form of you, including everyone being addressed.
6. A second- or third-person pronoun for a person in the speaker's care.
7. (colloquial) The speaker themselves, used to imply connection between the speaker's experiences and a group of listeners. (Compare the plural of modesty.)
8. Us.
9. The side which is keeping score.

Fréquence

Prononcé comme (IPA)

/wiː/

Étymologie

From Middle English we, from Old English wē (“we”), from Proto-West Germanic *wiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *wīz, *wiz (“we”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéy (“we (plural)”). Cognate with Scots wee, we (“we”), North Frisian we (“we”), West Frisian wy (“we”), Low German wi (“we”), Dutch we, wij (“we”), German wir (“we”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian vi (“we”), Icelandic vér, við (“we”), Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬉𐬨 (vaēm), Sanskrit वयम् (vayám).