Ch 1 · Lesson 4German · Chapter 1 · Lesson 4 · Grammar primer
Du or Sie: the one real choice
Two words for you: ? for a friend, ? for a stranger. When in doubt, .
The short version
When in doubt, use
?
Why?Hide
German has two words for you. is for friends, family and children; , always capitalised, is for strangers and officials. Being too polite costs you nothing, while being too casual with a stranger can feel abrupt. If a German wants you to switch to , they will say so.
Du or Sie: the one real choice
German has two words for you, and the question you ask changes with them. On this page one colour marks , another , and the highlighter marks the verb ending that changes with them.
| Who | You | Ask their name | Ask how they are |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friends, family | | ? | ? |
| Stranger, official | | ? | ? |
Both name questions mean What is your name?; both other questions mean How are you?. always has a capital S when it means you, to tell it apart from (she, they). Your own name needs no choice: Anna. - My name is Anna (literally I am called Anna).
"How are you?" means it
Both forms take the same answer: , . - Fine, thanks. ? is a squashed ?
In Germany this is more often a real question than in English, so expect a real answer: . - Not so good. The automatic fine that English trains you to give is optional here.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
! | ! | arriving at 8 pm: only says bye |
! | ! | to an official, can sound too casual |
? | ? | a stranger gets |
! | ! | for thanks: it means sorry or excuse me |
What to do next
- Say
- Practise
...with your own name. - Decide for each person you know:
or? Then try the German verb endings.
Going further: The whole set on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
Practise this lesson
9-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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Lesson 4 of 38 in this chapter