German Personal Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it (Nominativ)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Subject pronouns replace the noun performing the action; remember that German distinguishes between formal and informal 'you'.
- Use 'ich' for yourself: Ich lerne Deutsch.
- Use 'du' for friends/family: Du bist nett.
- Use 'Sie' for strangers/bosses: Sie sind freundlich.
Overview
German personal pronouns in the Nominativ case are the bedrock of sentence construction. They function as the subject of a verb, indicating who or what is performing the action. These essential words—ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie, Sie—replace nouns to prevent repetition and streamline communication, making your sentences more efficient and natural.
Mastering these pronouns is crucial at the A1 level, as they directly influence verb conjugation and establish the perspective of the sentence. Unlike English, where you can sometimes omit the subject in informal speech (e.g., "Think so."), German almost always requires an explicit subject to maintain grammatical completeness and clarity. This ensures there's no ambiguity about the actor in a sentence.
A key aspect of German grammar, even for inanimate objects, is grammatical gender: masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das). Consequently, when you replace a noun like der Tisch (the table), you must use the masculine pronoun er (he/it), not es (it). This concept is fundamental to correct pronoun choice and will feel unfamiliar if your native language lacks grammatical gender, but it's a core principle you'll quickly integrate.
These basic subject pronouns allow for precise communication about actions, whether you are referring to people, animals, or objects. Understanding their nuances is the first step towards constructing grammatically correct and fluent German sentences, providing the framework for all further grammatical development.
How This Grammar Works
Ich spreche Deutsch. Here, ich (I) is the subject performing the action spreche (speak). This relationship is consistent: the pronoun, as the subject, directly governs the form of the verb, a process known as verb conjugation.sein (to be), haben (to have), and a regular verb like wohnen (to live) conjugate with these pronouns.sein (to be) | haben (to have) | wohnen (to live) | Example Sentence (Nominativ + Verb) |ich | bin | habe | wohne | Ich bin Studentin. (I am a student.) |du | bist | hast | wohnst | Du hast ein Buch. (You have a book.) |er | ist | hat | wohnt | Er wohnt in Berlin. (He lives in Berlin.) |sie (she)| ist | hat | wohnt | Sie ist meine Freundin. (She is my friend.) |es | ist | hat | wohnt | Es hat geregnet. (It has rained.) |wir | sind | haben | wohnen | Wir sind müde. (We are tired.) |ihr | seid | habt | wohnt | Ihr wohnt hier. (You (plural) live here.) |sie (they)| sind | haben | wohnen | Sie haben keine Zeit. (They have no time.) |Sie | sind | haben | wohnen | Sprechen Sie Deutsch? (Do you speak German?) |sein and haben having unique forms that must be memorized). The nominative case represents the basic, dictionary form for nouns and pronouns. Every complete German sentence, with very few exceptions, requires a nominative subject to clearly indicate who or what is initiating the action.Das Buch ist interessant. Es liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is interesting. It lies on the table.) Here, es clearly refers back to das Buch, confirming its neuter gender and its role as the subject of the second clause.es, the sentence would feel incomplete and grammatically incorrect.Formation Pattern
ich | N/A | I |
du | Sie | you (informal) / you (formal) |
er | N/A | he / it (for masculine nouns) |
sie | N/A | she / it (for feminine nouns) |
es | N/A | it (for neuter nouns, general statements, weather) |
wir | N/A | we |
ihr | Sie | you (informal, plural) / you (formal) |
sie | N/A | they |
ich (I): This pronoun refers to yourself, the speaker or writer. It is always written in lowercase unless it begins a sentence. In German, there is no special capitalization for ich as a sign of ego, unlike in English. For instance, Ich bin Student. (I am a student.) or Heute lerne ich Deutsch. (Today I am learning German.).
du (you - informal singular): Use du when addressing a single person with whom you have an informal relationship. This includes friends, family members, children, and pets. It implies familiarity, trust, and a lack of social distance. For example, Du bist mein bester Freund. (You are my best friend.) or Wie geht es dir, Anna? Du siehst müde aus. (How are you, Anna? You look tired.).
er (he / it): This pronoun serves multiple functions. It's used for male persons, male animals, and critically, for all masculine nouns, regardless of whether they refer to living beings or inanimate objects. The grammatical gender of the noun dictates its use. For instance, der Stuhl (the chair) is masculine, so it is referred to as er. Examples: Wo ist Peter? Er kommt später. (Where is Peter? He is coming later.) and Mein Laptop ist kaputt. Er funktioniert nicht mehr. (My laptop is broken. It doesn't work anymore.).
sie (she / it): Similar to er, sie is used for female persons, female animals, and for all feminine nouns. It replaces both living beings and inanimate objects that possess feminine grammatical gender. For example, die Lampe (the lamp) is feminine, so it is referred to as sie. Examples: Ist das deine Schwester? Ja, sie ist sehr nett. (Is that your sister? Yes, she is very nice.) and Die Blume ist schön. Sie blüht im Frühling. (The flower is beautiful. It blooms in spring.).
es (it): This pronoun is primarily used for neuter nouns (das). It also functions as a general placeholder for impersonal statements, especially concerning weather or time. Additionally, es can refer to very young children or animals when their gender is unknown, irrelevant, or when emphasizing their
Nominative Pronouns
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
|
1st
|
ich
|
wir
|
|
2nd
|
du
|
ihr
|
|
3rd
|
er/sie/es
|
sie/Sie
|
Meanings
Subject pronouns replace the name of a person or thing acting as the subject of a sentence.
Personal Subject
Identifying the person performing the verb.
“Ich bin hier.”
“Du gehst nach Hause.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Pronoun + Verb
|
Ich lerne.
|
|
Negative
|
Pronoun + Verb + nicht
|
Ich lerne nicht.
|
|
Question
|
Verb + Pronoun
|
Lerne ich?
|
|
Formal
|
Sie + Verb
|
Sie lernen.
|
|
Plural
|
Wir + Verb
|
Wir lernen.
|
Formality Spectrum
Wie geht es Ihnen? (Greeting)
Wie geht es dir? (Greeting)
Wie geht's? (Greeting)
Was geht? (Greeting)
Pronoun Gender Map
Masculine
- er he
Feminine
- sie she
Neuter
- es it
Examples by Level
Ich bin müde.
I am tired.
Du bist nett.
You are nice.
Er lernt Deutsch.
He is learning German.
Sie ist hier.
She is here.
Wo ist {der|m} Stift? Er ist hier.
Where is the pen? It is here.
Wie geht es Ihnen?
How are you (formal)?
Wir gehen ins Kino.
We are going to the cinema.
Ihr seid zu spät.
You (plural) are too late.
Sie (plural) kommen morgen.
They are coming tomorrow.
Es regnet heute.
It is raining today.
Können Sie mir helfen?
Can you (formal) help me?
Wir haben das Buch gelesen.
We read the book.
Man sagt, dass er kommt.
One says that he is coming.
Sie, die Lehrerin, spricht gut.
She, the teacher, speaks well.
Es ist wichtig, dass ihr lernt.
It is important that you learn.
Wer ist das? Das sind sie.
Who is that? That is them.
Sie, die Sie so viel wissen, helfen mir.
You, who know so much, help me.
Es gelte als sicher.
It is considered certain.
Wir, die wir hier stehen...
We, who are standing here...
Man sollte sich dessen bewusst sein.
One should be aware of that.
Er, der er stets treu war...
He, who was always loyal...
Sie (plural) seien angekommen.
They are said to have arrived.
Es dünkt mich.
It seems to me.
Ihr, die ihr seid...
You, who are...
Easily Confused
They look the same in writing (except for capitalization) and sound the same.
Learners use 'er' for everything masculine and 'es' for everything neuter.
Learners don't know when to switch.
Common Mistakes
Ich bin {die|f} Frau.
Sie ist {die|f} Frau.
Du ist.
Du bist.
Er ist {die|f} Tisch.
Er ist {der|m} Tisch.
Sie gehen.
Er geht.
Das ist {das|n} Kind. Er spielt.
Das ist {das|n} Kind. Es spielt.
Wie geht du?
Wie geht es dir?
Sie (formal) bist...
Sie (formal) sind...
Die Leute, wer...
Die Leute, die...
Ich habe ihn gesehen, er ist nett.
Ich habe ihn gesehen, er ist nett.
Es ist sie, die...
Sie ist es, die...
Man sollte es tun, weil er es will.
Man sollte es tun, weil man es will.
Sie, die Sie...
Sie, die Sie...
Er, der...
Er, der...
Es sei...
Es sei...
Sentence Patterns
___ bin ___.
___ ist ___.
___ kommen aus ___.
___ haben ___.
Real World Usage
Wie geht's dir?
Ich habe Erfahrung.
Ich möchte {der|m} Kaffee.
Sie sind toll!
Wo sind wir?
Er ist mein Lehrer.
Capitalization
Gender
Verb Conjugation
The 'Du' invitation
Smart Tips
Look at the article: {der|m} = er, {die|f} = sie, {das|n} = es.
Always start with 'Sie'.
Use 'sie' for 'they'.
Capitalize 'Sie'.
Pronunciation
Sie vs sie
The formal 'Sie' is always capitalized in writing, but spoken identically to 'sie' (they/she).
Question
Kommst ↗ du?
Rising intonation for yes/no questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
I (ich) do (du) everything (er/sie/es) with (wir) you (ihr) all (sie/Sie).
Visual Association
Imagine a classroom where 'Ich' is pointing at himself, 'Du' is pointing at a friend, and 'Sie' is a teacher in a suit.
Rhyme
Ich and du, he she it too, wir and ihr, sie and Sie, that is all for you to see.
Story
Ich walked into a room. Du was already there. Er and Sie were talking in the corner. Es was on the table. Wir all said hello.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about your family using a different pronoun for each.
Cultural Notes
The 'Du-Reform' is changing how people address each other in workplaces.
Titles are very important; use 'Sie' until invited to use 'Du'.
Formal 'Sie' is used even more strictly than in Germany.
German pronouns derive from Proto-Germanic roots.
Conversation Starters
Wer bist du?
Was macht er?
Wie geht es Ihnen?
Wer sind sie?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ bin Student.
___ (He) ist nett.
Find and fix the mistake:
Du bin müde.
Wie geht es dir?
A: Wer ist das? B: ___ ist mein Bruder.
bin / ich / müde
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Wir ___.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ bin Student.
___ (He) ist nett.
Find and fix the mistake:
Du bin müde.
Wie geht es dir?
A: Wer ist das? B: ___ ist mein Bruder.
bin / ich / müde
Match: I, You, He
Wir ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesWo bist ___?
Kommen sie aus Japan, Herr Tanaka?
heute / Wir / Pizza / essen
They are here.
Match the pronouns:
What do you say to a group of friends?
{die|f} Lampe ist hell. ___ ist teuer.
Ich und du sind Freunde.
She is learning.
Sie / ein / Haben / Handy / ?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It is a sign of respect to distinguish it from 'sie' (she/they).
No, German requires the subject pronoun in almost all cases.
It is for {das|n} nouns, which can be people (e.g., {das|n} Kind).
Use 'ihr' when talking to a group of friends.
It is used for both singular and plural formal address.
Guess based on the noun ending or use 'es' if you are unsure.
It is a historical remnant of intimacy.
Talk to yourself in the mirror using pronouns.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
yo, tú, él, ella
German requires the pronoun even when the verb is clear.
je, tu, il, elle
French has a different formal 'vous' system.
watashi, anata, kare, kanojo
German pronouns are mandatory.
ana, anta, huwa, hiya
Arabic has gendered 'you' forms.
wo, ni, ta
German pronouns change for case.
I, you, he, she, it
German has a formal 'you' and gendered 'it'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
Formal 'You' (Sie)
Overview German, like several other European languages, maintains a crucial distinction in how "you" is addressed, refle...
German Accusative Pronouns: me, you, him (mich, dich, ihn)
Overview German, like English, distinguishes between who is performing an action (the subject) and who is receiving it (...
German Pronouns: Matching Gender (er, sie, es)
Overview German, like many other languages, classifies every noun into one of three **grammatical genders**: masculine,...
Related Videos
German Personal Pronouns in NOMINATIVE | ich (I), du (you), er (he)... | YourGermanTeacher
YourGermanTeacher
Learn the Nominative Case in German - Part 1: Personal Pronouns - A1 [with Jenny]
lingoni GERMAN
A1 - Lesson 11 | Personalpronomen | Personal pronouns ich du wir | Learn German
Learn German
Related Grammar Rules
German Dative Reflexive Pronouns (mir, dir, sich)
Overview German reflexive pronouns specify that the subject of a verb is also its object. While many reflexive verbs use...
Asking About Things: Wo-Compounds (worüber, wovon)
Overview Ever asked a friend what they're laughing at, only to realize your German sentence sounds like a toddler's? You...
German Accusative Pronouns: me, you, him (mich, dich, ihn)
Overview German, like English, distinguishes between who is performing an action (the subject) and who is receiving it (...
German Pronouns: Matching Gender (er, sie, es)
Overview German, like many other languages, classifies every noun into one of three **grammatical genders**: masculine,...
Informal 'Your' (dein)
Overview In German, expressing possession requires careful attention to context, specifically who you are addressing and...
