Personal Pronouns (ich, du, er/sie/es …)
Personal pronouns are the little words that stand in for people and things: ich (I), du (you), er (he), and so on. You literally cannot say a single German sentence about yourself or anyone else without them, which makes this one of the very first things to nail down.
The good news: German pronouns map closely to English ones, with just a few twists — like three different words for "you" and the famous fact that sie can mean "she", "they", or "you". Once you can tell them apart from context and verb endings, German conversations get much easier.
The full set of pronouns
German has pronouns for every person, just like English. Here they are in the nominative case (the form used for the subject of a sentence):
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | always lowercase unless it starts the sentence |
| du | you (informal, one person) | for friends, family, children |
| er | he | also for masculine nouns (der Tisch → er) |
| sie | she | also for feminine nouns (die Tür → sie) |
| es | it | also for neuter nouns (das Kind → es) |
| wir | we | |
| ihr | you (informal, several people) | "you all" |
| sie | they | |
| Sie | you (formal) | always capitalized; one or more people |
Three ways to say "you"
English has one "you"; German has three, and choosing the right one is a politeness decision:
| Pronoun | Who you're talking to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| du | one friend, family member, child | Du bist nett. |
| ihr | several friends/family members | Ihr seid nett. |
| Sie | strangers, officials, your boss (one or many) | Sie sind nett. |
When in doubt with adults you don't know, use Sie. Germans will offer the du when they're ready ("Wir können uns duzen").
Sie vs. sie vs. sie — how to tell them apart
The word sie/Sie can mean she, they, or formal you. Two clues solve the puzzle:
- Capitalization: formal Sie is always capitalized, even mid-sentence.
- Verb ending: sie = she takes a singular verb; sie = they and Sie = you take a plural verb.
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sie kommt aus Berlin. | She comes from Berlin. (verb: kommt) |
| Sie kommen aus Berlin. | They come from Berlin. (verb: kommen, lowercase sie mid-sentence) |
| Kommen Sie aus Berlin? | Do you (formal) come from Berlin? (capitalized) |
Pronouns replace nouns — and keep their gender
In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and the pronoun must match it — even for objects. This surprises English speakers, who expect "it" for all things:
| Noun | Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| der Tisch (the table) | er | Der Tisch ist alt. Er ist alt. |
| die Lampe (the lamp) | sie | Die Lampe ist neu. Sie ist neu. |
| das Auto (the car) | es | Das Auto ist schnell. Es ist schnell. |
So er doesn't only mean "he" — it means "it" too, whenever the noun is masculine. This is a great reason to always learn nouns together with their article.
📖 Examples
Ich heiße Anna und ich komme aus England.
My name is Anna and I come from England.
Du bist mein bester Freund.
You are my best friend.
Er wohnt in München.
He lives in Munich.
Sie ist Lehrerin von Beruf.
She is a teacher by profession.
Es regnet heute.
It is raining today.
Wir lernen zusammen Deutsch.
We are learning German together.
Ihr seid sehr freundlich.
You (all) are very friendly.
Woher kommen Sie, Frau Müller?
Where do you come from, Ms. Müller? (formal)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Der Tisch ist groß. Es ist braun.Der Tisch ist groß. Er ist braun.
English speakers use "it" for all objects, but German pronouns must match the noun's grammatical gender. *Der Tisch* is masculine, so the pronoun is *er*, not *es*.
Du sind sehr nett, Herr Schmidt.Sie sind sehr nett, Herr Schmidt.
With strangers, officials, or anyone you address as Herr/Frau + last name, use the formal *Sie*. *Du* is reserved for friends, family, and children — using it with the wrong person can sound rude.
Ich und mein Bruder wir gehen ins Kino.Mein Bruder und ich gehen ins Kino.
Don't double the subject with an extra pronoun. Also, as in polite English, put yourself last: *mein Bruder und ich*, not *ich und mein Bruder*.
sie sind meine Chefin. (meaning: you are my boss)Sie sind meine Chefin.
The formal "you" is always capitalized: *Sie*. Lowercase *sie* with a plural verb means "they", so the lowercase version changes the meaning of the sentence.
✏️ Exercises
Test your understanding. Click an option or type your answer, then check.
Which pronoun replaces "die Frau" (the woman)?
You meet your new boss for the first time. How do you ask where she comes from?
"Das Buch ist interessant. ___ ist neu." Which pronoun fits?
You are talking to two of your friends. Which pronoun do you use for "you"?
What does the sentence "Sie kommen aus Spanien." most likely mean at the start of a formal conversation?
"Der Computer ist kaputt. ___ ist alt." Which pronoun fits?
___ heiße Thomas und wohne in Berlin. (ich)
Maria ist müde. ___ geht früh ins Bett. (sie)
Kinder, seid ___ fertig? (ihr)
Entschuldigung, sprechen ___ Englisch? (Sie)