German · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 8
Wer ist das?Who is that?
The question word wer (who): "Wer ist das?" And the important politeness choice in German: du (informal, for friends, family, children) versus Sie (formal, capitalised, for older people, strangers, at work). Sie takes the verb form like the plural: Sie sind, Sie haben. We complete the pronouns: wir (we), sie (they). New adjectives: jung (young), alt (old), neu (new), and sehr (very), viel (a lot), hier (here).
Dialogue
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Wer ist das?— Who Is That?
- WeberGuten Tag. Wer ist das? Ist das deine Familie?Hello. Who is that? Is that your family?
- MikeJa! Und bist du Lehrer? Hast du eine Familie?Yes! And are you a teacher? Do you have a family? (slip: du with a teacher; use Sie)
- WeberMit einem Lehrer sagt man „Sie": Sie sind, Sie haben. Ja, meine Familie ist groß.With a teacher we say "Sie": Sie sind, Sie haben. Yes, my family is big.
- MikeEntschuldigung! Sie sind Lehrer und Sie haben eine Familie. Das ist sehr gut!Sorry! You are a teacher and you have a family. That is very good!
Dialogue
i
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Jung oder alt?— Young or Old?
- LenaDas ist mein Großvater. Er ist alt, aber sehr gut.This is my grandfather. He is old, but very good.
- MikeUnd deine Großmutter? Ist sie alte?And your grandmother? Is she old? (slip: alte; after sein the adjective stays alt)
- LenaNach „ist" bleibt es „alt" — ohne Endung. Nein, meine Großmutter ist jung!After "ist" it stays "alt" — no ending. No, my grandmother is young!
- MikeDein Großvater ist alt und deine Großmutter ist jung. Sehr gut!Your grandfather is old and your grandmother is young. Very good!
Vocabulary
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- wer
pronounwho
- wir
pronounwe
- sie
pronounthey (pl)
- Sie
pronounyou (formal, capitalised)
- jung
adjectiveyoung
- alt
adjectiveold
- neu
adjectivenew
- sehr
adverbvery
- viel
adverba lot, much
- hier
adverbhere
Grammar
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wer + du / Sie
Explanation
Wer = "who": "Wer ist das?" (Who is that?) — "Das ist mein Großvater." Now the big politeness choice. For "you", German has two words: du for friends, family, children (informal) and Sie for older people, strangers, or at work (formal). Sie is ALWAYS capitalised and takes the plural verb form: du bist, but Sie sind; du hast, but Sie haben. With a teacher or stranger, choose Sie — that's safe. Note: the same sie (lowercase) also means "they".
Examples
- Wer ist das? — Das ist mein Großvater.Who is that? — That's my grandfather.
- Wie heißen Sie?What is your name? (Sie, formal)
- Hast du einen Bruder?Do you have a brother? (du, to a friend)
- Meine Familie ist sehr groß.My family is very big. (sehr + predicate adjective)
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