Explanation
Personal pronouns replace nouns and change form based on their case (nominative, accusative, dative). German also distinguishes between informal du/ihr and formal Sie (always capitalised).
Rules
| Person | Nominative | Accusative | Dative |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | ich | mich | mir |
| you (informal sg) | du | dich | dir |
| he | er | ihn | ihm |
| she | sie | sie | ihr |
| it | es | es | ihm |
| we | wir | uns | uns |
| you (informal pl) | ihr | euch | euch |
| they / you (formal) | sie / Sie | sie / Sie | ihnen / Ihnen |
Sie (formal, capitalised) can mean “you” (singular or plural). Context and capital letter distinguish it from sie (she/they).
Examples
- Ich sehe ihn. — I see him. (accusative)
- Er gibt mir das Buch. — He gives me the book. (dative)
- Kannst du mich hören? — Can you hear me? (accusative)
- Das gehört ihr. — That belongs to her. (dative)
- Sprechen Sie Deutsch? — Do you speak German? (formal Sie)
Related Vocabulary
- Essen — Ich esse (ich = nominative pronoun as subject)
- der Hund — Ich sehe ihn. (ihn = accusative masculine pronoun replacing den Hund)
Exceptions
In reflexive verbs, the pronoun refers back to the subject: ich wasche mich (I wash myself). See Reflexive Pronouns for the full treatment.
Notes
du vs. Sie: use du with friends, family, children; use Sie with strangers, professionals, and in formal settings. Getting this wrong is noticed.