Question
13 Dec 2018
- Simplified Chinese (China)
-
German
Question about German
What is the difference between Du and Sie and Wie heißt du? and Wie heißen Sie? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between Du and Sie and Wie heißt du? and Wie heißen Sie? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
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- German
"Sie" is formal, used when adressing strangers (adults) or people you're not on close terms with, e.g. your boss or colleagues (depends on the work environment).
"Du" is informal, used e.g. for friends, family, kids/teens and young people.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
Do ordinary Germans care about this? Or does it just sound a little strange?
- German
@Yang1988 Yes, most Germans do care as it's seen as proper etiquette. Especially older people for example might get offended if you adress them with "du" as a stranger, so if you're talking to a German you should use "Sie" by default (if it's not a person in one of the groups I mentioned).
Some might offer you to refer to them with "du", but usually only after they've known you for a while.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
Danke ! Strangers always say Sie is better especially old people.except child
- German
- Korean
- Simplified Chinese (China)
前者为大人对小孩或者朋友之间等等，熟人之间的说法，而后者为陌生的成年人之间的说法。后者表示对对方的尊重，大概相当于中文的《您》。
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- Simplified Chinese (China)
- German
- Korean
- Simplified Chinese (China)
不但德语还有法语也有这种说法，甚至在韩语和日语中，这些用法更加复杂。不但互相之间的称呼之外，用的动词和名词都不同。
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