German · Greetings & Essentials
"You" in German: du
du
Note: formal: Sie; plural: ihr
Informal you in German is du. Say Du bist spät or Magst du Kaffee?. Formal you is Sie; plural informal is ihr. This page focuses on du.
Checking plans
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How to pronounce du
Say it
doo
/duː/
doo. Short u like in put, not English you.
"You" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| du | you (informal singular) Friends, family, peers. | Friends, family, peers. |
| du bist / du hast | you are / you have Common du forms. | Common du forms. |
| Sie | you (formal) Polite singular/plural; capitalized. | Polite singular/plural; capitalized. |
| ihr | you (informal plural) Talking to several friends. | Talking to several friends. |
How to use du in real life
- 1Checking plans
Kommst du später noch vorbei?
Are you coming by later?
Du in the verb ending -st, and as subject.
- 2Cafe order
Was möchtest du trinken?
What do you want to drink?
Möchtest du…
- 3Compliment
Du erklärst das richtig klar.
You explain that really clearly.
Du as subject.
Mistakes English speakers make with du
Incorrect: Du sind müde.
Correct: Du bist müde.
With du use bist, not sind.
Incorrect: Using Sie with close friends only
Correct: Use du with friends
Among friends du is normal; Sie can sound cold.
Good to know
Switching from Sie to du is a small social moment—often someone says wir können uns duzen. Younger people and startups start with du much earlier than older formal settings.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a classmate after class
ChatPal
Hast du die Hausaufgaben schon fertig?
Have you finished the homework already?
You
Noch nicht. Und du?
Not yet. And you?
ChatPal
Ich auch nicht. Lernen wir zusammen?
Me neither. Shall we study together?
You
Ja. Du bringst Notizen, ich bringe Tee.
Yes. You bring notes, I'll bring tea.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"You" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "You" in German
How do you say you (informal)?
Du.
Formal you?
Sie (capitalized).
Plural you (friends)?
Ihr.
You are?
Du bist.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
