Table of Contents
Understanding Personal Pronouns in German
Personal pronouns are small words that replace nouns. They help you talk about yourself and other people in a simple way. In this chapter you will learn the basic German personal pronouns in the nominative case, which you need to make very simple sentences.
The German Personal Pronouns: Overview
In English you say: I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they. German has the same idea, but the words look different and some of them change when you are polite.
Here is the basic table of German subject pronouns:
| Person | English | German |
|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | I | ich |
| 2nd singular | you | du |
| 3rd singular m | he | er |
| 3rd singular f | she | sie |
| 3rd singular n | it | es |
| 1st plural | we | wir |
| 2nd plural | you (plural) | ihr |
| 3rd plural | they | sie |
| Formal you | you (polite) | Sie |
Important: German personal pronouns always start sentences with a lowercase letter, except the formal “Sie,” which is always capitalized.
In this chapter we only use these pronouns as subjects of the sentence. The use in other cases belongs to later chapters about grammatical cases.
ich – Talking About Yourself
The pronoun “ich” means “I.”
Examples:
- Ich bin Anna.
- Ich komme aus Spanien.
- Ich heiße Tom.
Note the pronunciation: the “ch” in “ich” is a soft sound produced high in the mouth, not like English “k.”
Important: “Ich” always refers only to yourself. It is never used for “we” or “you.”
du – Talking to One Person Informally
“du” means “you” for one person, in informal situations. You use “du” with:
- friends,
- family,
- children,
- people of your age in relaxed contexts, once you are on a first-name basis.
Examples:
- Du bist Maria.
- Du kommst aus Italien.
You will later learn how the verb form changes with “du,” but here it is important to connect the idea “du = one person, informal you.”
Important: Use “du” only with people you know well or in clearly informal situations. Never use “du” in formal or professional situations with adults you do not know.
er, sie, es – He, She, It
German has three third person singular pronouns: “er,” “sie,” and “es.”
- “er” = he
- “sie” = she
- “es” = it
Examples:
- Peter ist neu. Er ist Student.
- Maria ist hier. Sie ist Lehrerin.
- Das ist ein Auto. Es ist alt.
“er,” “sie,” and “es” often match the grammatical gender of the noun, not only the biological sex. The details of gender belong in later chapters, but you can already understand simple sentences with people and things.
Important: “er” is only for masculine, “sie” for feminine, “es” for neuter in the singular. Do not mix “er” and “sie” when you talk about people, except when someone prefers a specific pronoun.
wir – Talking About “We”
“wir” means “we.” You use it when you talk about yourself together with at least one other person.
Examples:
- Wir sind aus Deutschland.
- Wir heißen Paul und Nina.
“wir” is always plural, never singular.
Important: Use “wir” only when you include yourself. If you talk about other people only, use “sie” (they), not “wir.”
ihr – Informal “you” for Several People
“ihr” means “you” when you talk to more than one person in an informal way. It is the plural of “du.”
Use “ihr” with:
- a group of friends,
- your family members together,
- a group of children.
Examples:
- Ihr seid müde.
- Seid ihr aus Berlin?
Remember that “ihr” is only for informal situations. The formal plural “you” is “Sie.”
Important: “ihr” is plural and informal. Do not use “ihr” when you want to be polite. Use “Sie” instead.
sie (plural) – They
The pronoun “sie” with a lowercase “s” can also mean “they.”
Examples:
- Sie sind Studenten. = They are students.
- Sie kommen aus Frankreich. = They come from France.
“sie” (they) is used for any group of people or things, without gender difference. In speech, “sie” (she) and “sie” (they) sound the same, so you must understand from context or from the verb form which one is meant.
Important: In the plural, “sie” always means “they,” never “she.” The meaning comes from number and context.
Sie – Formal “You”
“Sie” with a capital “S” is the polite pronoun for “you.” You use it:
- with strangers,
- in shops, restaurants, offices,
- at work,
- with older adults you do not know well,
- in all formal situations.
“Sie” can be used for one person or many people. The verb form is always the same as for “sie” (they). Only the capital letter shows that it is the polite form.
Examples:
- Sind Sie Frau Müller? = Are you Mrs Müller?
- Woher kommen Sie? = Where are you from?
In writing, “Sie” is always capitalized when it is the formal pronoun.
Important: “Sie” (formal you) is always written with a capital “S.” If you write it with a small “s,” it becomes “sie” (she / they) and the meaning changes.
Pronouns in Short Example Sentences
Here is a small overview with very simple sentences. The correct verb forms will be explained in a later chapter, but you can already see how the pronouns work.
| German sentence | Literal English |
|---|---|
| Ich bin Anna. | I am Anna. |
| Du bist Paul. | You are Paul. |
| Er ist Peter. | He is Peter. |
| Sie ist Maria. | She is Maria. |
| Es ist kalt. | It is cold. |
| Wir sind Freunde. | We are friends. |
| Ihr seid aus Wien. | You (pl, informal) are from Vienna. |
| Sie sind Lehrer. | They are teachers. |
| Sind Sie Herr König? | Are you Mr König? (formal) |
Distinguishing sie / Sie in Practice
In real texts and conversations, you must distinguish three different “sie” forms.
| Form | Meaning | Capital letter | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| sie (singular) | she | lowercase | Sie ist Anna. = She is Anna. |
| sie (plural) | they | lowercase | Sie sind Freunde. = They are friends. |
| Sie | you (formal) | uppercase “S” | Sind Sie neu hier? = Are you new here? |
You often need the context and the verb form to know which “sie” is meant.
Vocabulary List for This Chapter
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | 1st person singular |
| du | you (informal, singular) | 2nd person singular, informal |
| er | he | 3rd person singular, masculine |
| sie | she | 3rd person singular, feminine |
| es | it | 3rd person singular, neuter |
| wir | we | 1st person plural |
| ihr | you (informal, plural) | 2nd person plural, informal |
| sie | they | 3rd person plural |
| Sie | you (formal, singular and plural) | Always written with capital S |