A1 Pronouns 14 min read Easy

Formal German: Using 'Sie' and Pronouns Correctly

Mastering formal anaphora makes your German sound professional, fluid, and respectful by correctly replacing nouns with gendered pronouns.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'Sie' for formal situations and 'du' for friends; always capitalize 'Sie' to show respect.

  • Use 'Sie' (formal you) with strangers, teachers, or in business: 'Wie heißen Sie?'
  • Use 'du' (informal you) with friends, family, and children: 'Wie heißt du?'
  • Always capitalize 'Sie' and its forms ('Ihnen', 'Ihr') to distinguish from 'sie' (she/they).
Formal: Sie + Verb (3rd person plural) | Informal: du + Verb (2nd person singular)

Overview

In German, the distinction between formal and informal address is a fundamental pillar of communication. Unlike in modern English, where "you" serves nearly every context, German requires you to make a conscious choice that reflects your relationship with the person you are addressing. This choice is primarily between the informal du and the formal Sie.

Mastering the formal Sie is not merely a matter of politeness; it is a signal of social and professional awareness. It is the default setting for interacting with adults you do not know, superiors, clients, and officials. Failure to use it correctly can be perceived as disrespectful or uneducated, making it one of the most critical early skills for any learner.

This system of formality runs parallel to another core feature of German grammar: anaphora, the use of pronouns to refer back to previously mentioned nouns. When discussing a topic, you avoid repetition and create fluid, natural-sounding sentences by replacing nouns like der Bericht (the report) or die Präsentation (the presentation) with their corresponding pronouns, er (it/he) and sie (it/she). Combining these two systems is essential for professional communication.

You must correctly address your conversation partner with Sie while also correctly referring to objects and concepts with er, sie, or es. This dual task demonstrates a high level of grammatical precision and is a hallmark of a proficient speaker. This guide provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and applying both the formal Sie and the anaphoric pronouns that accompany it.

How This Grammar Works

The grammar of formal address and reference in German operates on two distinct but often simultaneous tracks: how you speak to a person and how you speak about a thing.
First, the system of direct address revolves around the formal pronoun Sie. Think of Sie as a grammatical tool that establishes a respectful, professional distance. It is always capitalized, along with its related forms (Ihnen, Ihr), to distinguish it from sie (she/they).
Grammatically, Sie is unique: it refers to a single person (or multiple people) but always takes the same verb conjugation as the 3rd person plural ('they').
  • Verb Form: Sie kommen aus München. (You come from Munich.)
  • Compare to 'they': sie kommen aus München. (They come from Munich.)
The capitalization is your only visual clue in writing. In speech, the context of a direct conversation makes the meaning clear. Using Sie is a conscious choice of register, shifting your language from the personal, familiar sphere of du to the public, professional sphere.
Second, the system of anaphora (referring back to nouns) is governed by grammatical gender. Every German noun has one of three genders: masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das). This gender is a fixed property of the noun, and any pronoun that replaces it must adopt the same gender.
This is fundamentally different from English, where we use "it" for nearly all non-human things. In German, a table isn't an "it"; der Tisch is a "he" (er). A question isn't an "it"; die Frage is a "she" (sie).
This principle is not a matter of politeness or formality; it is a core, unchangeable rule of the language. When discussing a contract, der Vertrag, you must refer to it as er, regardless of whether you're talking to your boss (Sie) or your best friend (du).
  • Example with a masculine noun: "Wo ist der Schlüssel?" — "Er ist an der Rezeption." (Where is the key? — It is at the reception.)
  • Example with a feminine noun: "Ich habe die E-Mail gelesen." — "War sie wichtig?" (I read the email. — Was it important?)
  • Example with a neuter noun: "Das ist das Protokoll." — "Bitte senden Sie es an mich." (This is the protocol. — Please send it to me.)
In a formal conversation, you will constantly navigate both systems. You use Sie and Ihnen to address the person, while using er, ihn, sie, and es to refer to the topics and objects of your conversation.

Formation Pattern

1
To use formal address and anaphoric pronouns correctly, you need to master two separate but related sets of declensions: the forms of Sie for addressing people and the forms of er/sie/es for referring to things.
2
1. The Formal 'You': Declining Sie
3
The pronoun Sie and its possessive adjective Ihr change form depending on their grammatical function (case) in a sentence. All forms of the formal Sie and Ihr are always capitalized.
4
This table covers the personal pronouns used for direct address:
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| Case | Pronoun | Function | Example Sentence | Translation |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Nominative | Sie | The subject of the verb | Sie leiten das Projekt. | You are leading the project. |
8
| Accusative | Sie | The direct object | Ich rufe Sie später an. | I will call you later. |
9
| Dative | Ihnen | The indirect object | Kann ich Ihnen helfen? | Can I help you? |
10
| Genitive | Ihrer | Possession (formal, rare) | Wir sind uns Ihrer Unterstützung sicher.   | We are sure of your support. |
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2. The Formal Possessive Adjective: Ihr (your)
12
The word Ihr means "your" and functions as an adjective, meaning its ending must change to match the gender, case, and number of the noun it describes. This is a common point of error for learners.
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| Noun Described | Case | Ihr-form | Example Sentence | Translation |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Masculine (der) | Nom. | Ihr | Ihr Name ist Herr Weber. | Your name is Mr. Weber. |
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| Masculine (der) | Acc. | Ihren | Ich habe Ihren Mantel. | I have your coat. |
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| Feminine (die) | Nom./Acc. | Ihre | Ihre Abteilung ist im 2. Stock. | Your department is on the 2nd floor. |
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| Neuter (das) | Nom./Acc. | Ihr | Ihr Büro ist hier. | Your office is here. |
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| Plural (die) | Nom./Acc. | Ihre | Ihre Kollegen warten schon. | Your colleagues are already waiting. |
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3. Anaphoric Pronouns: Declining er, sie, es
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When you replace a noun with a pronoun, you must select the correct pronoun based on the original noun's gender and its new role (case) in the sentence. The table below shows the forms for the nominative (subject) and accusative (direct object) cases, which are the most common.
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| Original Noun | Pronoun (Subject) | Pronoun (Direct Object) | Example Sequence |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Masculine (der) | er | ihn | Hier ist der Bericht. Er ist fertig. Haben Sie ihn gelesen? (Here is the report. It is finished. Have you read it?) |
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| Feminine (die) | sie | sie | Das ist die Agenda. Sie ist kurz. Ich schicke sie Ihnen. (That is the agenda. It is short. I will send it to you.) |
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| Neuter (das) | es | es | Wo ist das Dokument? Es war auf dem Tisch. Ich kann es nicht finden. (Where is the document? It was on the table. I can't find it.) |
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The process is a two-step logical operation: 1. Identify the gender of the noun you are replacing. 2. Determine the case of the pronoun in its new sentence. For example, in "Haben Sie ihn gelesen?", the pronoun refers back to der Bericht. The action is "lesen" (to read), and the pronoun is the thing being read, making it the direct object (accusative). Therefore, you must use the masculine accusative pronoun, ihn.

When To Use It

Knowing the grammatical forms is only half the battle; knowing when to deploy them is crucial for social and professional integration. The use of Sie is a matter of social protocol.
The general rule is to default to Sie with any adult you do not know personally. This applies to virtually all public and professional interactions. It is always safer to be too formal than too familiar. You can never go wrong by starting with Sie.
Use Sie in these specific situations:
  • Professional Contexts: With supervisors, senior colleagues, new colleagues, clients, and any business contact. Even in modern startups with a 'flat hierarchy,' Sie is often the default until a du culture is explicitly established.
  • Academic Settings: With professors, lecturers, and all university administrative staff. Students in Germany do not use the first name or du with their instructors.
  • Service Encounters: When speaking to a salesperson, waiter, hotel receptionist, doctor, or bank teller. They will also address you with Sie.
  • Official Matters: With police officers, government employees, and any public official. Using du here would be highly inappropriate.
  • General Public: When asking a stranger for directions, the time, or any other information.
The Transition from Sie to du:
The shift from Sie to du is a significant social gesture called das Du anbieten (offering the 'du'). This is a verbal invitation to switch to the informal register. Crucially, this offer is almost always extended by the person of higher age, social standing, or professional rank.
As a learner or a junior employee, you should never initiate the switch. You wait to be invited. A typical invitation might be, "Wollen wir nicht Du sagen?
Ich bin der Thomas." ("Shouldn't we use 'du'? I'm Thomas.")
In contrast, the use of anaphoric pronouns (er, sie, es) is not dependent on formality. You use them to refer to objects and concepts in all registers, whether speaking formally with Sie or informally with du. The grammar of object reference is constant.
  • Formal: Sie haben den(m) Hund. Er ist süß. (You have the dog. He is cute.)
  • Informal: Du hast den(m) Hund. Er ist süß. (You have the dog. He is cute.)
Notice that er remains the same in both examples because the gender of der Hund is constant.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently stumble over the interaction between formality and grammatical gender. Awareness of these common errors is the first step toward avoiding them.
  • Mistake 1: Confusing sie (she/they) with Sie (formal you)
The most frequent error is forgetting to capitalize the formal Sie. This can create significant confusion, as it changes the verb ending and the meaning of the sentence.
  • Incorrect: Woher kommen sie? (Where do they come from? — interpreted as asking about a third party)
  • Correct: Woher kommen Sie? (Where do you come from? — addressing the person directly)
  • Mistake 2: Defaulting to es for Inanimate Objects
English speakers instinctively use "it" for objects. Transferring this habit to German by using es for all non-human nouns is a persistent error. You must respect the noun's grammatical gender.
  • Incorrect: "Ich lese den(m) Roman. Es ist spannend."
  • Correct: "Ich lese den(m) Roman. Er ist spannend." (Because der Roman is masculine.)
  • Mistake 3: Mixing Formal and Informal Address
Once you have established a formal register with Sie, you must maintain it consistently across all pronouns. Switching mid-conversation is grammatically jarring and unprofessional.
  • Incorrect: Sie können an deinem Platz arbeiten. (A mix of formal Sie and informal dein 'your'.)
  • Correct: Sie können an Ihrem Platz arbeiten. (Consistently formal.)
  • Mistake 4: Using Sie Instead of Ihnen in the Dative Case
Certain verbs, prepositions, and grammatical structures require the dative case. Forgetting to change Sie to Ihnen is a common case error.
  • Incorrect: "Ich danke Sie für die Hilfe."
  • Correct: "Ich danke Ihnen für die Hilfe." (The verb danken requires a dative object.)
  • Mistake 5: Confusing Nominative er and Accusative ihn
When replacing a masculine noun, you must determine if the pronoun is the subject (nominative er) or the direct object (accusative ihn).
  • Incorrect: "Der Techniker kommt gleich. Ich habe er schon gerufen." ('I have called he.')
  • Correct: "Der Techniker kommt gleich. Ich habe ihn schon gerufen." ('I have called him.')

Real Conversations

Textbook examples are clean, but real-world usage is where these rules come to life. Here is how these patterns appear in everyday professional and service contexts.

S

Scenario 1

A Formal Business Email
S

Subject

Rückfrage zum Angebot (Question about the offer)

Sehr geehrte Frau Dr. Bauer,

vielen Dank für die Zusendung des Angebots. Ich habe es soeben geprüft. Mir ist eine Frage zu Punkt 3.2, die Lizenzgebühr, aufgekommen. Könnten Sie mir erklären, warum sie höher als im Vorgespräch angegeben ist? Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Hilfe.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Peter Klein

A

Analysis

* Peter addresses Dr. Bauer with Sehr geehrte, Sie, Ihnen, and Ihre. He refers to das Angebot with es and die Lizenzgebühr with sie, perfectly demonstrating both grammatical systems at once.
S

Scenario 2

Texting a New Colleague

Even in a brief, modern format like text messaging, formality is maintained. The capitalization of Sie and Ihnen remains mandatory.

- Alex: Hallo Herr Schmidt, hier ist Alex von der IT. Ihr neuer Laptop ist da. Wann hätten Sie Zeit, dass ich ihn vorbeibringe? (Hello Mr. Schmidt, this is Alex from IT. Your new laptop is here. When would you have time for me to bring it by?)

- Herr Schmidt: Hallo Alex, danke für die Nachricht. Ich bin bis 15 Uhr im Meeting. Passt es Ihnen danach? (Hello Alex, thanks for the message. I'm in a meeting until 3 PM. Does it work for you after that?)

A

Analysis

* Alex uses Sie and Ihnen when addressing Herr Schmidt. He correctly uses ihn to refer back to der Laptop (masculine, accusative). Herr Schmidt responds in kind with the dative Ihnen.
S

Scenario 3

Ordering at a Restaurant

This demonstrates the quick, reflexive use of anaphora in a service context.

- Customer: Entschuldigung, ich hätte gern den(m) Salat mit Hähnchen.

- Waiter: Sehr gern. Und möchten Sie ihn mit unserem Hausdressing? (Certainly. And would you like it with our house dressing?)

A

Analysis

* The waiter instantly replaces der Salat with its masculine accusative pronoun ihn. This is fluent, natural, and grammatically precise.

Quick FAQ

Q: What if I don't know a noun's gender? Am I supposed to guess?

No, guessing will lead to errors. The safest strategy is to repeat the noun itself. For example, instead of guessing between er, sie, or es for {der/die/das|} Report, just say: "Haben Sie den Report gelesen?" This sounds slightly more repetitive but is 100% correct. The long-term solution is to always learn a noun together with its article, for example, memorizing it as der Tisch, not just Tisch.

Q: Do I use Sie when talking about my boss to a colleague?

No. This is a critical distinction. Sie is used only for direct address (talking to someone). When you talk about your boss, you use the standard 3rd person pronouns: er (for a male boss) or sie (for a female boss). For example: Er (der Chef) hat gesagt... (He (the boss) said...) versus addressing him directly: Sie haben gesagt... (You said...).

Q: How do I address a group of people formally?

The pronoun Sie conveniently works for both a single person and a group of people. The verb form is already plural, so nothing changes. Context makes it clear whether you are addressing one or multiple people. For example, Können Sie mir bitte folgen? could be said to one person or to a group.

Q: Is it ever okay to just start with du?

In specific social circles, yes. Among university students, young people in informal settings (like a shared apartment or a casual party), or within companies that explicitly foster a du-culture, it is common. However, as a learner, the default-to-Sie strategy will prevent you from making a social misstep. When in doubt, let the other person initiate the du.

Q: My German friend texts me with a lowercase sie. Why?

In very informal digital communication (texting, chat), some native speakers may drop the capitalization of Sie out of speed or laziness. However, this is considered sloppy and should not be imitated in any professional or semi-formal context. As a learner, you should always capitalize Sie, Ihnen, and Ihr to build the correct habit.

Pronoun Conjugation Comparison

Pronoun Verb (machen) Possessive Dative
du
machst
dein
dir
Sie
machen
Ihr
Ihnen

Meanings

The German language distinguishes between formal and informal address through specific pronoun choices and verb conjugations.

1

Formal Address

Used for adults you do not know, professional settings, or authority figures.

“Wie geht es Ihnen?”

“Haben Sie Zeit?”

2

Informal Address

Used for friends, family, peers, and children.

“Wie geht es dir?”

“Hast du Zeit?”

Reference Table

Reference table for Formal German: Using 'Sie' and Pronouns Correctly
Form Structure Example
Formal
Sie + Verb (pl)
Wie heißen Sie?
Informal
du + Verb (st)
Wie heißt du?
Formal Dative
Ihnen
Ich helfe Ihnen.
Informal Dative
dir
Ich helfe dir.
Formal Possessive
Ihr
Ist das Ihr Buch?
Informal Possessive
dein
Ist das dein Buch?

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Wie geht es Ihnen?

Wie geht es Ihnen? (Greeting)

Neutral
Wie geht es?

Wie geht es? (Greeting)

Informal
Wie geht's?

Wie geht's? (Greeting)

Slang
Was geht?

Was geht? (Greeting)

The German You Map

German 'You'

Formal

  • Sie Formal You
  • Ihnen To you (formal)

Informal

  • du Informal You
  • dir To you (informal)
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Examples by Level

1

Wie heißen Sie?

What is your name? (formal)

2

Wie heißt du?

What is your name? (informal)

3

Kommen Sie aus Berlin?

Are you from Berlin? (formal)

4

Kommst du aus Berlin?

Are you from Berlin? (informal)

1

Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit?

Do you have a moment? (formal)

2

Hast du heute Zeit?

Do you have time today? (informal)

3

Was machen Sie beruflich?

What do you do for a living? (formal)

4

Was machst du beruflich?

What do you do for a living? (informal)

1

Darf ich Ihnen helfen?

May I help you? (formal)

2

Kann ich dir helfen?

Can I help you? (informal)

3

Ich freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen.

I am happy to meet you. (formal)

4

Ich freue mich, dich kennenzulernen.

I am happy to meet you. (informal)

1

Könnten Sie mir bitte das Dokument schicken?

Could you please send me the document? (formal)

2

Kannst du mir das Dokument schicken?

Can you send me the document? (informal)

3

Ihre Meinung ist mir wichtig.

Your opinion is important to me. (formal)

4

Deine Meinung ist mir wichtig.

Your opinion is important to me. (informal)

1

Es wäre mir eine Ehre, Sie einzuladen.

It would be an honor to invite you. (formal)

2

Ich lade dich herzlich ein.

I cordially invite you. (informal)

3

Haben Sie sich schon entschieden?

Have you decided yet? (formal)

4

Hast du dich schon entschieden?

Have you decided yet? (informal)

1

Dürfte ich Sie um Ihre geschätzte Meinung bitten?

Might I ask for your esteemed opinion? (formal)

2

Was hältst du davon?

What do you think of it? (informal)

3

Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Mühe.

I thank you for your effort. (formal)

4

Danke für deine Hilfe.

Thanks for your help. (informal)

Easily Confused

Formal German: Using 'Sie' and Pronouns Correctly vs Sie vs. sie

They look identical in lowercase.

Formal German: Using 'Sie' and Pronouns Correctly vs du vs. ihr

Both are informal.

Formal German: Using 'Sie' and Pronouns Correctly vs Sie vs. ihr

Both can be formal.

Common Mistakes

✗

Wie geht es du?

✓

Wie geht es dir?

Mixing formal/informal pronouns.
✗

sie sind...

✓

Sie sind...

Forgot to capitalize formal Sie.
✗

Du heißen...

✓

Du heißt...

Wrong verb conjugation.
✗

Sie macht...

✓

Sie machen...

Used singular verb for formal Sie.
✗

Kann ich Sie helfen?

✓

Kann ich Ihnen helfen?

Wrong case for formal address.
✗

Hast du Ihr Buch?

✓

Hast du dein Buch?

Mixing formal possessive with informal pronoun.
✗

Wie geht es Ihnen, du?

✓

Wie geht es dir?

Redundant pronoun usage.
✗

Wir duzen uns, Sie...

✓

Wir duzen uns, du...

Inconsistent register.
✗

Könnten Sie mir helfen, du?

✓

Könnten Sie mir helfen?

Unnecessary tag.
✗

Ich habe Sie gefragt, du.

✓

Ich habe Sie gefragt.

Mixing address.
✗

Man sollte du sagen.

✓

Man sollte 'du' sagen.

Missing quotes for meta-talk.
✗

Sie sind ein Freund.

✓

Du bist ein Freund.

Formal address to a friend.
✗

Du sind...

✓

Du bist...

Basic conjugation error.

Sentence Patterns

Wie geht es ___?

___ heißen Sie?

___ du heute Zeit?

Darf ich ___ helfen?

Real World Usage

Bank constant

Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?

Social Media very common

Wie geht's dir?

Job Interview constant

Erzählen Sie mir von sich.

Coffee Shop common

Was möchten Sie trinken?

Texting Friend very common

Kommst du heute?

Travel common

Wo ist der Bahnhof?

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💡

The Safe Bet

If you are unsure, always use 'Sie'. It is better to be too polite than rude.
⚠️

Capitalization Matters

Always capitalize 'Sie'. 'sie' means 'she' or 'they'!
🎯

Wait for the Offer

In a professional setting, wait for the older or higher-ranking person to offer 'du'.
💬

The 'Du' Ritual

In some companies, everyone uses 'du' by default. Observe the office culture first.

Smart Tips

Always capitalize 'Sie' and 'Ihnen'.

ich danke sie. → Ich danke Ihnen.

Use 'Sie' until told otherwise.

Hallo, wie heißt du? → Guten Tag, wie heißen Sie?

Don't use 'Sie' for a group of friends.

Wie geht es Sie? → Wie geht es euch?

Wait for the senior person to offer 'du'.

Hallo Chef, wie geht's? → Guten Tag Herr Müller, wie geht es Ihnen?

Pronunciation

/ziː/

Sie

Pronounced like 'zee'.

/duː/

du

Pronounced with a rounded 'u'.

Question

Wie heißen Sie? ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Sie is for Strangers, du is for Dudes (friends).

Visual Association

Imagine a person in a suit (Sie) standing tall and formal, and a person in a hoodie (du) sitting casually on a couch.

Rhyme

Use Sie for the boss you see, use du for the friend with thee.

Story

Hans walks into a bank. He sees a banker. He says 'Sie'. Then he goes to a park and sees his friend. He says 'du'. He never mixes them up.

Word Web

SieduIhnendirIhrdein

Challenge

Write 5 sentences in your journal: 3 to a boss (Sie) and 2 to a friend (du).

Cultural Notes

The 'Sie' form is deeply ingrained in professional life. Switching to 'du' is a significant step.

Austrians are often even more formal, using titles like 'Herr Doktor'.

Swiss German speakers use 'Sie' very consistently in public.

The 'Sie' form evolved from the third-person plural, a common way to show respect in many languages.

Conversation Starters

“

Wie heißen Sie?

“

Wie geht es dir?

“

Haben Sie heute Zeit?

“

Was machst du am Wochenende?

Journal Prompts

Write a formal email to a new boss.
Write a text to a friend about a movie.
Describe a formal meeting.
Describe a party with friends.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Wie geht es ___? (formal)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ihnen
Formal dative is Ihnen.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

___ du heute Zeit?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hast
Informal du conjugation.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Wie heißen sie?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wie heißen Sie?
Formal Sie must be capitalized.
Order the words. Sentence Building

Sie / wie / heißen / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wie heißen Sie?
Correct word order.
Match the pronoun. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: All of the above
All are correct pairings.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Wie geht es dir? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mir geht es gut.
Standard response.
Sort into formal/informal. Grammar Sorting

Which is formal?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sie
Sie is the only formal pronoun.
Conjugate for Sie. Conjugation Drill

Sie ___ (machen).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: machen
Formal Sie uses plural verb.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Wie geht es ___? (formal)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ihnen
Formal dative is Ihnen.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

___ du heute Zeit?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hast
Informal du conjugation.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Wie heißen sie?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wie heißen Sie?
Formal Sie must be capitalized.
Order the words. Sentence Building

Sie / wie / heißen / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Wie heißen Sie?
Correct word order.
Match the pronoun. Match Pairs

Match formal/informal.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: All of the above
All are correct pairings.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Wie geht es dir? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mir geht es gut.
Standard response.
Sort into formal/informal. Grammar Sorting

Which is formal?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sie
Sie is the only formal pronoun.
Conjugate for Sie. Conjugation Drill

Sie ___ (machen).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: machen
Formal Sie uses plural verb.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank: Ist das ___ (your - formal) Auto? Fill in the Blank

Ist das ___ Auto?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ihr
Choose the correct pronoun for 'die Tasche'. Multiple Choice

Die Tasche ist weg. Ich finde ___ nicht.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sie
Translate to formal German: 'I am calling you (formal).' Translation

I am calling you.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich rufe Sie an.
Reorder to make a formal question. Sentence Reorder

Haben / den / Sie / ? / Vertrag

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Haben Sie den Vertrag?
Match the noun with its anaphoric pronoun. Match Pairs

Match the items:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {der|m} Laptop - er
Fix the pronoun: 'Das Handy ist neu. Er ist teuer.' Error Correction

Das Handy ist neu. Er ist teuer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Das Handy ist neu. Es ist teuer.
Formal address: 'Could ___ please sign here?' Fill in the Blank

Könnten ___ bitte hier unterschreiben?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sie
Which is correct for a LinkedIn message? Multiple Choice

LinkedIn Message:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht.
Translate: 'Does it (the computer) work?' Translation

Does it (the computer) work?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Funktioniert er?
Fill in: 'I like your (formal) style.' Fill in the Blank

Ich mag ___ Stil.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ihren

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Only if they invite you to. Otherwise, stick to 'Sie'.

It's a common mistake, but it looks unprofessional in writing.

Grammatically yes, it uses the plural verb form.

Say 'Wir können uns duzen'.

No, it stays 'Sie' but the verb changes.

It implies intimacy and personal relationship.

No, use 'du' or the animal's gender.

No, use 'Sie' for one person, 'ihr' for a group.

Scaffolded Practice

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Tú vs. Usted

German uses plural verbs for formal; Spanish uses singular.

French high

Tu vs. Vous

German formal 'Sie' is always capitalized.

Japanese low

Honorifics

German changes the pronoun; Japanese changes the name suffix.

Chinese moderate

Nǐ vs. Nín

German has a much wider grammatical impact.

Arabic partial

Anta vs. Antum

German uses 'Sie' (3rd person) instead of 'Ihr' (2nd person).

English none

You

English uses one pronoun for everyone.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
German Politeness: du vs. Sie (Register Shift)
Next
German 'man': Talking about Everyone (Impersonal Pronoun)

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