German Grammar for Beginners: The Three Meanings of “sie”
In German, the word sie can mean she, they, or you (formal). How do you know the difference? It is all about the capital letter and the verb!
Here is an easy guide to help you learn them fast.
1. sie = she (Singular)
Use this sie when you talk about one girl or woman.
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Example: Sie ist meine Freundin.
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English: She is my girlfriend.
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Grammar Tip: The verb ends in -t (like ist or wohnt).
2. sie = they (Plural)
Use this sie when you talk about a group of people (two or more).
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Example: Sie sind sehr nett.
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English: They are very nice.
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Grammar Tip: The verb ends in -en (like sind or wohnen).
3. Sie = you (Formal / Polite)
This is the polite way to say “you” to an adult, a boss, or a stranger.
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Example: Wie heißen Sie?
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English: What is your name? (Formal)
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Grammar Tip: This word always starts with a big letter (S), even in the middle of a sentence! The verb also ends in -en.
Summary Table for A1 Learners
| German Pronoun | English Meaning | Example Sentence |
| sie (small s) | she | sie kommt (she comes) |
| sie (small s) | they | sie kommen (they come) |
| Sie (always big S) | you (polite) | Sie kommen (you come) |
Easy Practice Dialog / Kleines Gespräch
Anna: Wer ist das? (Who is that?)
Ben: Das ist Frau Müller. Sie ist meine Chefin. (That is Mrs. Müller. She is my boss.)
Anna: Ah! Guten Tag, Frau Müller. Wie geht es Ihnen? (Ah! Good day, Mrs. Müller. How are you?)
A1 Vocabulary List
Die Freundin — The girlfriend / female friend
Nett — Nice / Kind
Guten Morgen — Good morning
Wer — Who