Subject pronouns in German are used to indicate who is performing the action in a sentence. They replace the subject noun and must agree in number and person. Here are all the German subject pronouns, along with their English equivalents and example sentences.
List of German Subject Pronouns
| German Pronoun | English Pronoun | Singular or Plural | Example in German | Example in English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | I | Singular (1st person) | Ich lerne Deutsch. | I am learning German. |
| du | you | Singular (2nd person, informal) | Du bist freundlich. | You are kind. |
| er | he | Singular (3rd person, masculine) | Er spielt Fußball. | He plays soccer. |
| sie | she | Singular (3rd person, feminine) | Sie liest ein Buch. | She is reading a book. |
| es | it | Singular (3rd person, neuter) | Es ist kalt. | It is cold. |
| wir | we | Plural (1st person) | Wir gehen ins Kino. | We are going to the cinema. |
| ihr | you | Plural (2nd person, informal) | Ihr seid spät. | You (all) are late. |
| sie | they | Plural (3rd person) | Sie kommen morgen. | They are coming tomorrow. |
| Sie | you | Singular/Plural (formal) | Sind Sie bereit? | Are you ready? |
You are kind (singular, informal): Du bist ___ .
freundlich
"Du bist freundlich." means "You are kind." 'freundlich' is the correct word for 'kind' here.
Usage Notes
- Du and ihr are used for informal "you" (singular and plural, respectively).
- Sie (always capitalized) is used for formal "you," both singular and plural.
- sie (lowercase) means "she" or "they" depending on context.
- Subject pronouns are mandatory in German, even though the verb ending often indicates the subject.
- Pronouns are always followed by a conjugated verb.
German subject pronouns are the foundation of sentence construction, so it’s important to learn and use them correctly.
Flashcards (1 of 9)
- Singular or Plural: Singular (1st person)
- English Pronoun: I
- Example in English: I am learning German.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
