Though English only has one official word for “you,” there are three ways to say “you” in German. Based on context, all German speakers have to choose between du (you, informal singular), ihr (you, informal plural), and Sie (you, formal singular/plural)—and picking the wrong one can cause minor confusion or full-on social awkwardness.
As worrying as that might sound to someone new to German grammar, the decision of which form of the German “you” to use is only a matter of understanding to whom you’re communicating. Knowing the social rules around how to say “you” in German is crucial for navigating daily life in Germany, from friendly gatherings to professional meetings.
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How do you say ‘you’ in German?
So, how do you say “you” in German? The answer depends on two questions.
- Are you communicating formally or informally?
- Are you addressing one person or multiple people?
In German, “you” can do more than refer to someone; it can also give context to a social situation and indicate the number of people you’re talking to. Each of the possible words are described in detail so you can confidently choose the right one.
Du fits best in informal conversations
The most common form of “you” is du in German. Du is an informal way to say “you” in German when referring to one person, rather than multiple people or a stranger. Since this is a friendly word, there’s a social interaction in German that can seem funny and overly rigid to English speakers where you can ask someone with whom you’ve become acquainted with, if you may refer to them informally.
Ever the inventive language, German has turned the word du into a verb for just such an inquiry: duzen (to address informally). Asking someone directly Darf ich dir duzen? directly translates to “May I address you informally?” signifying the growth your relationship has undergone with someone and socially allowing you to use du when referring to them. Since the English language doesn’t have a concept for a word like duzen, this question has led to hilarious mistranslations of interpreters asking “May I ‘you’ you?”
- Du hast wirklich eine schöne Stimme. = You really have a beautiful voice.
- Wo warst du gestern Abend? = Where were you last night?
- Du siehst heute müde aus. = You look tired today.
Use ihr like a grammatically acceptable ‘y’all’
The southern American expression “y’all” isn’t used widely across the United States, but since it appears in reputable sources like the Oxford English Dictionary, don’t you think it should be? The German language does have an official pronoun for “y’all” or “you all,” which is ihr.
This is another informal form of “you” in German that is only used to refer to more than one person. You couldn’t use this term at a business meeting or when addressing the public, but in friendly gatherings and with your family you’re good to try out ihr in German conversation.
- Ihr seid meine besten Freunde. = You all are my best friends.
- Ihr macht immer so viel Lärm! = You all always make so much noise!
- Habt ihr schon gegessen? = Have you all already eaten?
Sie shows off your manners in formal gatherings
With strangers, your elders, business people, and generally any formal situation, using Sie (you, formal singular/plural) is an absolute must. In German culture, showing respect with your language and word choice is paramount in avoiding offense and social awkwardness. So much so that your default choice should be Sie in German when you want to say “you” and you’re unsure of which form to say.
The good news is that with Sie you won’t have to worry about singular vs. plural since this German word works for any number of people. That’s one less thing to worry about so that you can focus on your professional message rather than nitpicking over grammar, as fun as grammar is!
- Haben Sie bereits einen Termin vereinbart? = Have you already scheduled an appointment?
- Sie sind herzlich eingeladen. = You are cordially invited.
- Sie müssen das Formular bis Freitag einreichen. = You must submit the form by Friday.
When to capitalize ‘you’ in German
A rule to keep in mind as you master how to use du vs. ihr vs. Sie is when to capitalize them or not. While all German nouns are always capitalized, the rules for pronouns—including the forms of “you”—vary a bit. Du (you, informal singular) is easiest to start with since you only need to capitalize it at the start of the sentence.
On the other hand, you have to be mindful of capitalizing ihr (you all, informal plural) and Sie (you, formal singular/plural) or else they could turn into another word entirely. Only capitalize ihr at the start of the sentence or else it could be mistaken for the German word Ihr (your, formal) which is always capitalized.
The formal Sie must always be capitalized regardless of its position in the sentence or else it could become sie, which means “her” or “they.” So, while the formality of Sie is visually reinforced with a capital letter, the casual familiarity of du and ihr is reflected in their lowercase form—subtly reinforcing the relationship between grammar and social context in German.
Tips to decide when to use formal or informal language in German
How do you pick whether to use informal German language like du or ihr or if the classy, formal route of Sie would be best for the occasion? There’s a simple, clear-cut way to decide that makes this part of German easy to learn!
The informal side of the German language should be your go-to when communicating with:
- people younger than you
- family and loved ones
- pets
- friends
- casual settings, like German beer gardens
- teammates in sports with whom you’ve played for a while
In contrast, your language should always be formal when conversing with:
- your elders
- professional acquaintances
- strangers
- authority figures (teachers, police, etc.)
When in doubt, it’s usually best to default to using formal German terms like Sie when you’re not entirely sure what to do. This way you can avoid offending someone you meet by being overly friendly, which can be seen as a severe social offense in German culture!
Conjugating verbs with du, ihr, and Sie
I am learning; you are learning; he is learning. Notice how the English verb for “to be” changes from “am” to “are” and “is” in each sentence depending on the pronoun being used. Changing verbs in this way to reflect the subject of the sentence is known as verb conjugation. German verb conjugation exists in a similar way, with verbs changing their ending based on the German pronoun or noun which is the subject of the sentence.
First, find the Stamm (stem) of the verb you want to conjugate. This is the core, unchanging part of a verb usually found in German by dropping off the ending letters of -en or -n from your verb of choice. Then you’ll add a new ending to that verb stem based on the subject of the sentence. In this case, the subject will be one of the three forms of “you’ in German that we’ve discussed.
Below is a table showing what verb ending to use with each form of “you” in German along with an example of a conjugated verb.
Machen – to do, to make (verb stem: mach-)
| Form of ‘You’ | Verb Ending | German Example | English Meaning |
| du | -st | du machst | you make (singular, informal) |
| ihr | -t | ihr macht | you all make (plural, informal) |
| Sie | -en | Sie machen | you make (formal) |
Here are a few examples of using du, ihr, and Sie in a sentence with the verb gehen (to go):
- Du gehst im Sommer gerne schwimmen. = You like to go swimming in the summer.
- Geht ihr heute Abend alle essen? = Are you all going out to eat tonight?
- Sie gehen heute zum Arzt. = You are going to the doctor today.
Key takeaways for using ‘you’ in German correctly
German gives you options for ways to say “you,” depending on to whom you’re talking. Here are the key takeaways to remember about du, ihr, and Sie:
- Both du and ihr are used in informal situations, but du is used as a singular “you” while ihr is a plural “you all.”
- Sie (you, formal) can refer to one person or multiple people, but is only used in formal settings like business, meeting someone new, or speaking to someone older than yourself.
- Capitalizing the forms of “you” in German correctly is essential, otherwise, it becomes a different word and meaning.
- Verbs in a given German sentence must conjugate according to the form of “you” in German you want to use. Du gives an -st ending, ihr makes verbs end in -t, and Sie uses the –en verb ending.
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