Learn English – difference between “you two” and “you both”

meaning

We can say "Thank you both for coming" or "How did you two meet?" but the other way around just seems wrong: "Thank you two for coming" or "How did you both meet?".

I'm having difficulty in explaining the difference between these two phrases.

Best Answer

The word both is not reflexive; it's used for two people doing something individually, and not mutually doing something to each other. So if you say they both fought, you're not saying that they fought with each other. On the other hand, if you say those two fought, it's reasonably likely that they fought with each other (although it's not certain).

Thus, you can't say how did both of you meet? or how did you both meet?

I don't think there's anything grammatically wrong with thank you two for coming, the way there is with how did both of you meet; it's merely unidiomatic.

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