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This lesson introduces German personal pronouns like Ich (I), Du (you - informal), Sie (you - formal), Er/Sie/Es (he/she/it), and Wir (we), focusing on their use as subjects in sentences.
  1. The form of address "Du" is used in informal situations.
Singular (Singular)Plural (Plural)
Ich (I)Wir (We)
Du (You)Ihr (You)
Er / Sie / Es (He / She / It)Sie (They)

Exceptions!

  1. "Sie" is used as a polite form of address for one or more persons in formal situations and is always capitalised within the sentence.

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ___ heiße Anna, und du?

(___ is my name Anna, and you?)

2. ___ sind Kollegen aus Berlin.

(___ are colleagues from Berlin.)

3. ___ ist das dein Computer? Ja, er ist meiner.

(___ is that your computer? Yes, it is mine.)

4. ___ sind freundlich und sehr hilfsbereit.

(___ are friendly and very helpful.)

5. ___ hast eine Frage? Ich höre zu.

(___ have a question? I am listening.)

6. Wo ist ___ Büro? Es ist im zweiten Stock.

(Where is ___ office? It is on the second floor.)

Personal Pronouns in German – A1 Level

This lesson introduces Personalpronomen (personal pronouns) in the Nominative case, which replace the subject of a sentence in German and indicate person, number, and gender. Personal pronouns are essential building blocks for constructing basic sentences and understanding communication in German.

Singular and Plural Forms

The main personal pronouns covered are organized by singular and plural forms:

SingularPlural
Ich (I)Wir (We)
Du (You - informal singular)Ihr (You - informal plural)
Er / Sie / Es (He / She / It)Sie (They or You - formal)

Key Points About Usage

  • Ich means "I" and is always singular first person.
  • Du is used in informal situations when addressing one person.
  • Sie (capitalized) is the formal "you," used both singular and plural in formal contexts. It is always capitalized in the sentence.
  • Er, Sie, Es refer to "he," "she," and "it," corresponding to third person singular subjects.
  • Wir, Ihr mean "we" and "you" (informal plural), respectively.

Example Sentences

Here are a few examples demonstrating common usage:

  • Ich heiße Anna, und du? (My name is Anna, and you?)
  • Wir sind Kollegen aus Berlin. (We are colleagues from Berlin.)
  • Sie sind freundlich und sehr hilfsbereit. (They are friendly and very helpful.)
  • Du hast eine Frage? Ich höre zu. (You have a question? I am listening.)

Important Note on Formal and Informal "You"

In English, "you" is the same whether formal or informal. In German, "du" is informal and used with friends, family, or children. "Sie" (always capitalized) is the formal address for one or more persons in polite or professional contexts. This distinction affects verb conjugation and shows respect/social context.

Useful Phrases for Practice

  • Wie heißt du? – What is your name? (informal)
  • Wie heißen Sie? – What is your name? (formal)
  • Wir kommen aus Deutschland. – We come from Germany.
  • Habt ihr Zeit? – Do you (plural informal) have time?

This overview prepares you to recognize and use German personal pronouns correctly when forming simple statements and questions.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 13:15