Dialogue

A: Wer sind Sie?

B: Ich bin Tom Baker

A: Woher kommen Sie?

B: Ich komme aus Kanada

A: Was arbeiten Sie?

B: Ich bin Bäcker

Grammar: Du vs Sie

In German, "Du" is used for informal, familiar interactions, while "Sie" is the formal address for showing respect, used with strangers, in professional settings, or with elders. "Sie" is always capitalized and indicates a polite distance, with the transition from "Sie" to "Du" typically requiring mutual consent.

ℹ️ The formal "Sie" in German requires the use of the third person plural verb forms, even though it refers to a single person. This means that verbs conjugated for "Sie" follow the same pattern as they would for "sie" (they) in sentences. For example, "You are" translates to "Sie sind" when using the formal "Sie", which is the same as "they are" ("sie sind").

Vocabulary

wer = who

Sie = you (polite)

Sie sind = you are (polite)

ich bin = I am

woher = from where

Sie kommen = you come (polite)

ich komme = I come

aus = from

Kanada = Canada

was = what

Sie arbeiten = you work (polite)

der Bäcker = the baker