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Indefinite pronouns are associated with indefinite determiners of a similar or identical form (such as every, any, all, some). A pronoun can be thought of as replacing a noun phrase, while a determiner introduces a noun phrase and precedes any adjectives that modify the noun.
You is used to refer to an indeterminate person, as a more common alternative to the very formal indefinite pronoun one. [30] Though this may be semantically third person, for agreement purposes, you is always second person. Example: "One should drink water frequently" or "You should drink water frequently".
The pronoun you (and its other forms) can be used as a generic or indefinite pronoun, referring to a person in general. A more formal equivalent is the indefinite pronoun one (reflexive oneself, possessive one's). For example, you should keep your secrets to yourself may be used in place of the more formal one should keep one's secrets to oneself.
You can also be used as an indefinite pronoun, referring to a person in general (see generic you), compared to the more formal alternative, one (reflexive oneself, possessive one's). The third-person singular forms are differentiated according to the gender of the referent.
In Russian, the second person is used for some impersonal constructions.Sometimes with the second-person singular pronoun ты, but often in the pronoun-dropped form.An example is the proverb за двумя зайцами погонишься, ни одного не поймаешь with the literal meaning "if you chase after two hares, you will not catch even one", or figuratively, "a bird ...
In some cases personal pronouns can be used in place of indefinite pronouns, referring to someone unspecified or to people generally. In English and other languages the second-person pronoun can be used in this way: instead of the formal one should hold one's oar in both hands (using the indefinite pronoun one ), it is more common to say you ...
If you're curious about neopronouns, experts explain what they are, how they differ from gender neutral pronouns, and how to use these pronouns properly.
In grammars that consider them determiners rather than pronouns (see § Determiners versus other lexical categories), the personal determiners are the following: [27] we; you; Though these words are normally pronouns, in phrases like we teachers and you guys, they are sometimes classified as personal determiners. Personal determiners mark a ...