Differences in verb conjugation for du, Sie, ihr
In German verb conjugation, the pronouns “du,” “Sie,” and “ihr” each have distinct uses and corresponding verb endings:
-
“du” is the informal singular “you,” used to address one familiar person such as a friend or family member. Verbs conjugated with “du” typically take the ending -st. For example, “du machst” (you make) or “du gehst” (you go).
-
“Sie” is the formal “you,” used both singularly and plurally in polite or formal contexts such as with strangers, superiors, or in professional settings. Verbs conjugated with “Sie” take the same form as the third person plural and usually end in -en. For example, “Sie machen” (you make) and “Sie gehen” (you go). Note that “Sie” is always capitalized to distinguish it from “sie” (she/they).
-
“ihr” is the informal plural “you,” used to address a group of people you know well. Verbs with “ihr” usually end in -t. For example, “ihr macht” (you all make) or “ihr geht” (you all go).
In summary for the verb “machen” (to make):
| Pronoun | Verb Ending | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| du | -st | du machst | you (singular, informal) make |
| sie (Sie) | -en | Sie machen | you (formal singular/plural) make |
| ihr | -t | ihr macht | you (plural, informal) make |
These distinctions are crucial in German for both social context and grammatical correctness when conjugating verbs.
Examples with “gehen” (to go):
- Du gehst (you go, informal singular)
- Ihr geht (you all go, informal plural)
- Sie gehen (you go, formal singular/plural)