SIE und DU?
Hallo, ich habe eine anfragen about using Sie vs. du.
So, can 'Sie' be used to replace 'du' when trying to be polite, in all cases?
Ex.) Du sprischt Italienisch. ---> Sie sprischt Italienisch. (ist das richtig?)
((ODER)) ---> Sie sprechen Italienisch. (which is the same use/conjugation for 'they speak italian')
Danke! ^_^
~mayen
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Answers · 7
2
Yes, Sie can always be replaced by du, with proper conjugation.
"Sie" is a very confusing pronoun in German.
Du sprichst Italienisch (singular informal), Ihr sprecht Italienisch (plural informal)
In polite form:
Sie sprechen Italienisch (You speak Italian).
Just like you english "you", Sie is used for singular as well plural and has the same conjugation.
Example sentences:
Singular: Herr Baumann, sprechen Sie Italienisch? (Do you speak Italian?)
Plural: Herr Baumann und Herr Müller, Sprechen Sie beide Italienisch? (Do you both speak Italian?)
Note: Sie is always written with Capital S !!
There are other forms of "Sie" (written with small letter s, except at the beginning of a sentence). It can mean "she" or "they" (should be clear from the context or conjugation of the verb)
Sie spricht Italienisch (she speaks Italian) .. Note the conjugation
Ich habe sie nicht gesehen (I have not seen her/them ... "s" small !!)
Sie sprechen Italienisch (They speak Italian)
sie spricht italienisch (She speaks Italian)
0
Sie resents for 3 personal pronouns:
1/ Sie = du (You. To make it clearer, you can translate Sie into Sir or Madam)
Ex: Wo wohnen Sie? (Where you do live, Sir?) Remember this Sie is always capitalized.
.......Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
2/ sie (she)
Ex : Wo wohnt sie? (Where does she live?)
3/ sie (they)
Ex: Wo wohnen sie? (where do they live?)
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