only

Question

difference between only you and you only

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

'Only', I suppose, is emphatic in this sort of use.

Fosse8 · Answer

Neither of those sentence fragments really makes sense on their own.

They can mean broadly the same thing, but the context is very important when determining which to use:

If you need my help, you only need ask.
(meaning: I'm happy to help you if you ask me. Maybe it's because we're such good friends, or maybe it's because I'm happy to help everybody - but asking will make the difference.)

If you need my help, only you need ask.
(meaning: It's only you that needs to ask me for help. Maybe I'm happy to help everyone but you, or maybe you're the only person I'd say "yes" to - but you will make the difference.)

There are times when only one will do:

Only you can prevent forest fires. v
(meaning: You, and nobody else, can prevent forest fires.)

You only need to remember this simple rule. v
(meaning: It is only necessary that you* remember this simple rule.)
*The audience is unspecified - it could be just you, you and a group of others, or everyone in the world.

Getting them wrong changes the meaning (and is incorrect grammar):

You only can prevent forest fires. X
(This should read "You can only prevent forest fires", which means there are a lot of other things you can't prevent.)

Only you need to remember this simple rule. X
(This should read "It's only you that needs to remember this simple rule", and means that there might be a lot of other rules as well as this one, but that other people don't need to learn this one.)

If you're stuck, remember that in general, "you only" means there's only one specific thing being talked about, while "only you" means there's only one specific person. (But not always - there are exceptions. "These secret plans are for you and you only". "This should have been a simple task, if only you hadn't forgotten to bring your gloves.")

Floatingdutchman · Answer

'only you' means you are the only one, single and isolated from others. For instance, 'We asked ten people and only you gave the correct answer'

'you only' refers to as 'you and nothing more'. For instance, 'You only live once'

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