"Du" or "Sie": who you call what

Du oder Sie?

German has a polite "you" (Sie) and a friendly "you" (du). Using the wrong one can sound rude or too close.

Sie is for adults you do not know, people in offices and shops, your landlord, your doctor and, in many companies, your boss. You use it with the family name: Frau Schmidt, Herr Weber.

du is for family, friends, children, and usually for other students and young people. In many start-ups and in some big companies, everyone says du from the first day.

Moving from Sie to du is a small moment. Usually the older person or the person with the higher position offers it: „Wollen wir uns duzen?“ Do not switch on your own.

If you are not sure, start with Sie. Being too polite is never a problem; being too familiar can be.

You may hear

Wollen wir uns duzen?Shall we say "du" to each other?

German words for this

• siezen · to say "Sie"
• duzen · to say "du"
• höflich · polite
• der Nachname · family name

This is a custom, not a rule: families and regions differ.