Subject pronouns tell us who is doing the action and help make sentences clear even when the verb ending shows the person. This guide goes through each German subject pronoun with examples.
Pronouns
German subject pronouns appear at the start of a sentence and match the verb form in person and number. They sometimes reflect gender in the third person.
Singular
Singular pronouns name one person or thing and include first, second, and third persons with masculine, feminine, and neuter forms where relevant.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | |
| du | you (informal) | |
| er | he | |
| sie | she | |
| es | it |
I am working in the office today.
Plural
Plural pronouns name multiple people or things and include first, second, and third persons. The Sie form is also used for formal address.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| wir | we | |
| ihr | you (plural, informal) | |
| sie | they | |
| Sie | you (formal) |
Usage
Use the appropriate subject pronoun to show who performs the action; omit it in speech if the verb ending makes the person clear. Use Sie with a capital letter for polite address and du for friends or family.
| German Sentence | English Translation | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥐 Ich frühstücke jeden Morgen auf der Terrasse. | I have breakfast on the terrace every morning. | Subject pronoun "ich" for self. | |
| ☕ Du trinkst deinen Kaffee immer zuerst. | You always drink your coffee first. | Informal singular "du" for friend. | |
| 🍊 Er isst eine Orange zum Frühstück. | He is eating an orange for breakfast. | "Er" refers to a male person. | |
| 🥣 Sie hat eine Schale Müsli dabei. | She has a bowl of muesli with her. | "Sie" refers to a female person. | |
| 🍞 Es ist das frische Brot vom Bäcker. | It is the fresh bread from the baker. | "Es" for neutral noun "Brot". | |
| 🍯 Wir teilen einen großen Korb mit Frühstück. | We are sharing a large breakfast basket. | "Wir" for group including speaker. | |
| 🥖 Ihr habt viele verschiedene Brotsorten mitgebracht. | You (all) brought many different types of bread. | Informal plural "ihr". | |
| 🍎 Sie haben einen Apfel und eine Flasche Saft. | They have an apple and a bottle of juice. | "Sie" for multiple people. | |
| ☕ Sie möchten einen Kaffee zum Mitnehmen, bitte. | You would like a coffee to go, please. | Formal "Sie" polite address. |
Summary
Subject pronouns consistently signal person, number, and sometimes gender, guiding verb endings and sentence meaning; learn each German pronoun so you can identify and use them in context.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025