German Pronoun

Words that we use to describe people, or ourselves, are called pronouns. In English, the use of pronouns is simpler than in German. It is still rather straight foward in German, so don't get too worried!

You may be a bit surprised by what you see in the table above. You might be thinking, "Why are there two words for 'you'?". The reason for this is that sie is used in more formal situations and du is used when you are talking to a friend or someone you know. It used to be the same in English, however the use of words such as "thee" and "thou" ceased some time ago.

So when do you know when to use "sie" and "du"? If you are meeting someone for the first time, it is usual to use "sie" until they tell you otherwise. It is also recommended to use with people such as doctors, teachers, police etc etc. Once you get to know someone, feel free to use "du".

First person German pronouns are referring to the speaker. Second person pronouns talk about the person who is being spoken too. Lastly, the third person pronouns are used to substitute for nominal phrases. Although with the substitution, it must have the same gender, and case.