Soyez

Soyez is a French verb form deriving from the verb être, used in two related but distinct grammatical moods: the present imperative for the second-person plural (vous) and the present subjunctive for the second-person plural (vous) or formal singular address. In practical terms, soyez is what you say when you tell a group or a formal interlocutor to “be.” It is the counterpart of the informal singular imperative sois and the first-person plural imperative or exhortation soyons.

In the imperative use, soyez governs commands or exhortations directed at more than one person or at a single person in a formal setting. Examples include “Soyez prudents,” “Soyez les bienvenus,” and similar phrases that request or require a state of being. In negative constructions, the form remains the same: “Ne soyez pas trop confiants.”

In the present subjunctive, soyez appears in subordinate clauses introduced by que or after expressions that require the subjunctive, as in “Il faut que vous soyez prêts” or “Qu’ils soient calmes.” The subjunctive form emphasizes doubt, necessity, or subjectivity rather than a direct command.

Pronunciation is typically indicated as /swa.je/. The form is frequent in formal writing and speech, as well as in hospitality or diplomatic greetings, where the polite address is conveyed through vous.

Related forms include sois (tu, imperative and present subjunctive), soyons (nous), and soyez (vous). The word reflects the broader French system of mood and formality centered on the verb être.