German word

Sie

Pronunciation

IPA/ziː/

Meaning

  • pronounyou

Example

Wie geht es Ihnen?

How are you?

Illustration for Sie (you)

More examples

Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen?

Could you please help me?

Core concept

A polite public-facing form of address that keeps personal familiarity at a distance.

Common phrases

  • Könnten Sie bitte

    could you please

  • Wie heißen Sie

    what is your name

  • Darf ich Sie

    may I ___ you

Similar words

du: A familiar singular form of address used with friends or family.
ihr: A familiar plural form of address used with a group.
man: A pronoun referring to people generally rather than anyone specific.

Definition in German

Höfliches Personalpronomen im Deutschen, als formelle Anrede mit Pluralbeugung verwendet.

Word origin

The formal German pronoun Sie developed from third-person plural Sie through an honorific use for addressing another person.

Usage tips

  • Sie is capitalized in every grammatical case when it means formal 'you', including inside a sentence.

Opposites

  • duyoupronoun
  • ihryoupronoun

Word lists with this word