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A1 · GRAMMAR

Pronouns and 'sein'

Every German sentence needs a verb. In English you say 'I am tired' with a verb, but let's look at how German builds this. In this lesson, you'll learn personal pronouns, the difference between formal 'Sie' and informal 'du', and the most important verb: 'sein' (to be).

In this lesson

1. Personal pronouns

ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie, Sie. The verb ending changes depending on the pronoun.

2. du vs. Sie

du is for family and friends, Sie is for strangers and formal situations.

Wie heißen Sie?
What is your name? (formal)
3. sein = to be

ich bin, du bist, er ist, wir sind, ihr seid, sie sind.

Ich bin müde.
I am tired.
4. Verbs are required

English uses 'to be' explicitly, and German also requires the verb always to be written out.

Er ist Lehrer.
He is a teacher.
💡 Lowercase sie means 'she' or 'they', while capitalized Sie means 'you' (formal). Context and the verb ending show the difference.