Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/articles-and-pronouns-in-german-1444493 Schmitz, Michael. The Scandinavians, for example, deliberately ignore their formal … Culture In Germany, the Importance of Being Formal. From Lesson 01.06 Abschied III Anrede "Ihnen" is the following sentence: Ich wünsche Ihnen eine gute Nacht. The formal Sie is used to address strangers, business associates, and acquaintances (Bekannte, as opposed to close friends, Freunde), and for most situations outside the family. „Auf Wiederhören“ is directly translated as „It would be nice to hear from you again“ – as you can see, it is used as a formal way to say goodbye to someone you talk by phone in a formal … English uses the pronoun ‘it’ for all objects. Men are addressed formally as Herr followed by their surname, women as Frau followed by their surname. You've really helped me. – I give you my promise. One expression in German for sorry could be “Entschuldiung”. Ich danke dir / Ihnen / euch – “my thanks to you” In casual situations with friends or close colleagues, use “dir” or “euch” as the pronoun in this phrase. [ˈfɔːməl] adjective. To recap: if you’re in Germany for only a short time, and if in doubt, use Sie. Besides the distinction between the informal and formal form of apologizing and asking questions, you can practice talking in German and saying sorry. — The universal “Thank you” in German. Hi there! Here’s a quick example: Dear Sir, Sehr geehrter Herr, ... falls wir Ihnen weiter behilflich sein können. 1. person, letter, relationship, behaviour, language formell , förmlich ; (= official) talks, statement, complaint, agreement, request formell , offiziell ; (= ceremonial) occasion, reception feierlich. The question "Wie geht es Ihnen?" Now, as “sie” (they) is already in use, there needs to be a possibility to differentiate between the two and actually the solution for this was the use of the capital letter. But German has a masculine ‘it’, a feminine ‘it’, and a neuter ‘it’ to use with masculine / feminine / … In a more formal business setting, or when talking to someone who is older or in a position of authority, make sure you use the polite pronoun “Ihnen.” need to capitalize personal pronouns in German in case you refer to the formal speech. You don't, it has to be clear from context. German translation of 'formal'. "Ihnen" is the dative form. In this article, we will focus on when to write a personal pronoun in German with a capital letter. However, in German, it is still an acceptable and formal way to address someone, even if we are talking about businessmen that are using the formal form of address “Sie” when communicating with each other. In this lesson we will learn the three forms of you in German: the singular familiar form, the plural familiar form, and the formal form that can be used to indicate singular or plural pronouns. Germans are said to be overly formal and reserved and their language reflects it. If you address more than one person formally, you use the formal form "Ihnen". he made them a formal bow er verbeugte sich formell or feierlich vor ihnen. This demonstrates how German people keep their personal lives separate from business. If the recipient of the e-mail is unknown If the recipient of the e-mail is unknown, you would, in most cases, choose a formal salutation. We are using the third person plural ("they") as a formal way to address a person, corresponding to Spanish "usted". Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If you are just starting out with the German language, this is probably the first time you have seen the words “mir”, “dir”, and “Ihnen”. As mentioned above, one of the most apparent differences between informal and formal German is the different words for “you.” Sie is formal, while du is informal. 🙂Â. Just another variation to say How are you in German. We are using the third person plural ("they") as a formal way to address a person, corresponding to Spanish "usted". Danke! The verbs following the formal form of "you"—"Sie"—are conjugated identically as in the third-person plurals. 4) Let’s try a variation. is mostly used in a formal context. Dativ: Ich gebe Ihnen mein Versprechen. There are two ways to say “you” in German: the formal “Sie” and the informal “du.” You should always use “Sie” in business relationships, unless directed otherwise. The German formal speech actually uses the 3rd person plural “sie” (they) for a single person as well as a group. Getting your hellos and goodbyes straight in German is a matter of keeping in mind how well you know someone. The German sie / Sie can mean she, they, or You (formal). You can imagine that it is only used … The German Word 'ihr' Is an Article and a Pronoun. – The key of your car / apartment is in my office. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Remember that “du” is the equivalent of saying “hey you.” Though there was a constant development during the last centuries in regards to which words to write with a capital letter, the last big change happened in 1996 with the “Reform der deutschen Rechtschreibung“. (formal) How are you? "The German Word 'ihr' Is an Article and a Pronoun." However, as like many other languages, German still has a formal speech and actually this is a bit tricky as you will see in the following. – You seldomly come too late! Please, someone could explain me what exactly "ihnen" means? Take note that the formal greeting ends in a coma and the following opening line of the letter begins with a lowercase word. The only difference here is we add “heute” meaning today. Unlike in English, most European and other languages also have both a familiar and a formal "you." This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also the questions asked during a first meeting. This means either "You speak German" or "They speak German", and it is completely up to the context to determine which one it is. If you use the website further, we assume your consent. Someone told me that it can mean "you" (plural) or "they", but how do I know when it means one or another? Germans have a reputation of being serious and quite reserved, which you can also see in the language… and what shall I say?! Wie geht es Ihnen? If you are unsure whether to be formal or informal, use the formal address. German has 3 different types of ‘it’. In the past, one needed to write you (du) and you plural (ihr) as well as Sie (you formal) with a capital letter in letters and official documents. How are you today? Become confident in speaking German with my online conversation classes for beginners and intermediates.Â. Wie geht es Ihnen heute? In the past, one needed to write you (du) and you plural (ihr) as well as Sie (you formal) with a capital letter in letters and official documents. / Wie geht es Ihnen? Today, we do not do this any longer for “du” and “ihr”. As German has the four cases Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv, this rule applies to the personal pronouns for each case. Find out everything you need to know in this article.Â. In written German, you can differentiate the two meanings because you always capitalize the pronoun if to means "usted": Highly informal, Jo is a slang that corresponds to our “yo”. In this case, the cliché is correct. – I do not know you. Back to German: Formal and casual Greetings • Wie geht es dir? It is one of the most important words in the German language because it can be used for different questions and statements. The formal address is used with unfamiliar adults, in business situations, with officials, or when shopping. If you want to say “yes” in German, you’ll want to make sure you know what you’re agreeing to first. Often, German students have problems understanding when they should write a personal pronoun with a capital letter. YIKES. The formal pronoun for "you" is Sie in the nominative and accusative cases and Ihnen in the Dative. Though I provide all blog content for free, your support will be very much appreciated. Today, we do not do this any longer for “du” and “ihr”. "Ihnen" is the dative form. I hope that it is clear now, that you only (!) Like we explained in “100+ Important Business German Words, Phrases and Sentences”, use the formal “Sie” form and not the “du” form of pronouns while writing. Depending on the context of the email, use the appropriate formal language. German: Formal or Informal? In German, one needs to write several words with a capital letter. Both can be translated as "you" but "dir" is used in informal situations and "Ihnen" is used in formal situations. If you wish to get more information about other capitalized words in German, check out the Article “When to use capital letters in German“. By the way, the word “Hello” in German sounds almost the same as it does in English. If you want to communicate in informal speech, then there is no need for capitalization. Joining my new German conversation course might be the perfect solution for you! This website uses cookies. This means you will always need to write the following pronouns with a capital letter if you speak in formal speech: Nominativ: Selten kommen Sie zu spät! German speakers often mention the frase „Ich wünsche Ihnen noch einen schönen Tag“ – I wish you’ll have a good day! Do you want to improve your spoken German? Translating to “How are you?” in English, “Wie geht es dir” is the form used for close friends while “Wie geht es Ihnen” is the form you would use for people in authority (Read more about addressing a German: Sie / du). These are all different words for “you”, which are used to replace “ich”, “du”, and “Sie” when they are used in certain ways. It is far better to be formal and for the German then to tell you to be less formal, than to address the other person with their first name when the they are used to be called Mr or Mrs. Danke translates to “thank you” or “thanks” and it … How you conjugate your verbs will depend on which word you use. Continue addressing the recipient formally throughout your German letter: use “Sie”, “Ihr”, and “Ihnen” as pronouns and don’t forget to capitalise the … Thanks again berndf! The phrase "vielen Dank für … You would use "dir" if you speak to a friend or a family member. Note the initial capital letter in each. Akkusativ: Ich kenne Sie nicht. Sie, Ihr, Ihnen & Ihrer with a capital letter. Genitiv: Der Schlüssel Ihres Autos / Ihrer Wohnung ist in meinem Büro. It’s more comprehensive, especially with more specific … Sie (Ihr, Ihnen, Ihre) Use K2 JavaScript is disabled. Now, when we would write “Gehen Sie nach Hause?” with a capital letter, one could easily recognize the capitalized “Sie” and therefore connect it to the formal speech. It may not display this or other websites correctly. However, as like many other languages, German still has a formal speech and actually this is a bit tricky as you will see in the following. Switch to "Vielen Dank für alles" to thank someone for multiple things. When you’re working in a German office building like this one, you should always use “Sie” – unless you know that the office culture says otherwise. German Formal vs Informal Speech Instructor: Penelope Heinigk Show bio Penelope holds a doctorate degree in German and a professional teaching license in the state of Colorado. It was slightly adjusted in minor aspects in 2011 and 2017 and is valid up to date. You must log in or register to reply here. When writing “Gehen sie nach Hause?”, one can easily realize that the sentence is referring to the plural “sie” as the verb is “gehen” and the “sie” is written with a small letter. Very formal, recipient has a special title that must be used in place of their name. You use the formal "you" when talking to strangers or acquaintances, people more senior or important than you and in formal situations. Like we explained in “100+ Important Business German Words, Phrases and Sentences”, use the formal “Sie” form and not the “du” form of pronouns while writing. Take Care When Using 'Du' and 'Sie' German makes a clear distinction between the singular, familiar "you" (​ du) and the plural, formal "you" (Sie) in social situations. (formal) 3) Looks familiar to the first and second examples, right? Jo. "Sie spricht Deutsch." For example, "Sie sprechen Deutsch." If you’re on formal terms — in other words, if you’re addressing one or more people with Sie (zee) (you, formal) — then you have one set of expressions. Dict.CC is a free online German-English dictionary that comes in handy if you need to look up a word fast. Sie (Ihr, Ihnen, Ihre) Use K2 German has 1 pronoun that has 3 different meanings. You are using an out of date browser.