Du, Ihr, and Sie: How Du, Ihr, and Sie: How do you know which do you know which

one to use?one to use?Deutsch IDeutsch I

Frau SpampinatoFrau Spampinato

Du: you, singular & Du: you, singular & informalinformal

• “Du” is used for when you are talking to only one person face to face

• Use “du” only when you are talking to friends, family, and pets, people you know well

• Do not use “du” and the du-verb form with adults, strangers, and people in positions of authority like policemen, teachers, store clerks, etc.

Sie: You, formal (sing. and Sie: You, formal (sing. and plural)plural)

• “Sie” means “you” when it is capitalized—you use this when you are talking to adults, strangers, and people in positions of authority like policemen, teachers, store clerks, etc.

• You can use “Sie” and the Sie-verb form with one adult or more (both sing. and plural)

• When in doubt, use “Sie”—never “du”

Ihr: you (all) “ya’ll” plural form Ihr: you (all) “ya’ll” plural form of “you”of “you”

• Standard English does not differentiate between the singular and plural forms of “you”

• z.B. You do your homework. • This is why there are so many different,

regional ways to compensate for this lack of clarity.

• People will say “ya’ll” or “you’s(e)” or “yous guys” or “all’ya’ll” or …?? what else?

(are you talking to one person or 2? the whole class?...no clue unless you point or use body language.)

Examples of when to use each Examples of when to use each pronoun:pronoun:

Hallo! Wie heißt

du?

Ich heiße Martina, und du?

2 friends, teens the same age

Guten Morgen! Wie heißen Sie?

Guten Morgen! Ich heiße Frau Martins.Und du? Wie heißt du?

Hallo, wie heißt ihr?

Wir heißen Johann und Dirk.

What would you say to these What would you say to these people?people?1. your mom

2. your math teacher

3. your friend’s aunt

4. a cashier at the store

5. your cousins

6. the principal of the school

7. Frau Spampinato

8. your grandma

du

SieSie

Sieihr

SieSie

du