Sie or du? It’s all about you!
German (in)formal language investigated
Like several other European languages, German differentiates between the formal Sie and the informal du for ‘you’. For language learners, especially English native speakers, it can be tricky to know when to use which one.
When addressing persons older than oneself, Sie is used as a sign of respect. The German business world also tends to be very formal, with Sie being the usual form of address. Eventually switching from Sie to du is a privilege, akin to being on first-name basis in English. Within families and among close friends, du is the norm.
Here are some real-life examples that illustrate which form to use in which context in everyday situations:
You go shopping at the supermarket:
Shop staff and cashiers will address you with Sie and expect to be called Sie as well. Anything else would be considered impolite.
Your new friend from your history course at university invites you out for a beer after class:
Definitely use du, as you are considered equal peers. Cheers!
You start a part-time job and your boss welcomes you to the team:
Start by addressing boss and colleagues with Sie. You will most likely continue to use Sie for your boss, but your colleagues may eventually offer du. As a non-native speaker, it’s advisable to wait for your German counterpart to make the first move when it comes to transitioning from Sie to du.
You move into your new apartment and meet your neighbour, an elderly lady in the stairwell:
As she’s your elder, you need to address her with Sie to avoid causing offence and to show her respect.
Your new boyfriend’s parents invite you over for lunch:
They will likely address you with du and offer you to address them informally as well. But if you want to play it safe (and you probably should!), you should start with Sie and wait for them to invite you to use du.
You take up an evening class and greet your instructor:
As this is a formal context, Sie is the appropriate form of address.
You get stopped by the police:
You absolutely must use the polite form and say Sie. In fact, according to the German schedule of penalties, you can be fined up to €600 if you call a police officer the informal du! So you better watch those pronouns on your next visit!
Hopefully, these pointers will help you navigate the sometimes tricky business of formal and informal forms of address in German. Viel Erfolg!
