toi

Toi is a French pronoun used as the stressed or disjunctive form of the second-person singular. It functions as the object of a preposition or as a focal, emphatic reference, rather than as the subject of a sentence. It corresponds to the informal singular you in English when emphasis or opposition is intended.

Common uses include after prepositions (à toi, pour toi, avec toi, sans toi), in phrases that emphasize identity (C'est toi qui a gagné), and in exclamations or responses that stress the addressee (Toi !, Toi aussi). It also appears in constructions like à toi de jouer, meaning it is up to you to act.

In coordination and emphasis, toi often appears with moi in expressions such as toi et moi, used to stress the pair in casual speech, and with toi seul meaning you alone. It is generally not used as the subject of a clause, where tu would be the proper subject pronoun for informal address.

Pronunciation is typically [twa], with the iota lengthened in the diphthong. In writing, toi is used in lowercase unless it begins a sentence. In formal contexts, tu and vous are preferred for ordinary subject and address, while toi serves stylistic or emphatic purposes.

Etymology traces toi to the Old French and Middle French development of the second-person pronoun tu, evolving a distinct tonic form that can stand independently as a pronoun after prepositions or for emphasis. It remains a common feature of contemporary French, signaling nuance in formality and emphasis.