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This lesson focuses on "sie" (they), the third-person plural pronoun in German. This pronoun is particularly important because it has multiple meanings depending on context and capitalization: "sie" (they), "sie" (she), and "Sie" (formal you). Today we focus on the plural "they" usage. Understanding this pronoun is essential for discussing groups, making observations about others, and navigating German's complex pronoun system.
Link to course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ Schema (Plain Text): Q: What does "sie" mean in German when referring to multiple people? A: When "sie" refers to multiple people, it means "they" - the third-person plural pronoun used for groups of people or things.
In the following 15 examples, you'll see "sie" (they) used with plural verb forms, in various tenses, and in different sentence structures. Pay attention to how context and verb conjugation help distinguish "sie" (they) from "sie" (she) and "Sie" (formal you), as the word itself looks identical in writing except for capitalization.
Educational Schema: This is Lesson 24 of a German language learning course for English speakers, focusing on the pronoun "sie" (they) with interlinear glossing method.
Key Takeaways: -
"sie" (they) takes plural verb forms ending in -en -
Context and verb form distinguish it from "sie" (she) -
Accusative/dative form is "sie/ihnen" -
Possessive form is "ihr/ihre/ihr" (their)
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sie [ziː] - pronounced "zee" with a long 'ee' sound ihnen [ˈiːnən] - pronounced "EE-nen" (dative: to them) ihr/ihre [iːɐ̯/ˈiːrə] - pronounced "eer/EE-rə" (their)
Note: The pronunciation is identical for all meanings of "sie" - only context determines the meaning.
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24.1 Sie they kommen come aus from Deutschland Germany
24.2 Wo where sind are sie they jetzt now
24.3 Sie they haben have drei three Kinder children
24.4 Gestern yesterday waren were sie they im in-the Kino cinema
24.5 Sie they sprechen speak kein no Englisch English
24.6 Ich I kenne know sie them gut well
24.7 Sie they arbeiten work zusammen together
24.8 Was what machen do sie they beruflich professionally
24.9 Sie they wohnen live in in der the Stadt city
24.10 Wir we geben give ihnen them-DAT das the Geld money
24.11 Sie they sind are sehr very freundlich friendly
24.12 Ihr their Haus house ist is groß big
24.13 Sie they fahren drive morgen tomorrow nach to Italien Italy
24.14 Können can sie they uns us helfen help
24.15 Sie they haben have sich themselves gefreut rejoiced
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24.1 Sie kommen aus Deutschland → "They come from Germany"
24.2 Wo sind sie jetzt? → "Where are they now?"
24.3 Sie haben drei Kinder → "They have three children"
24.4 Gestern waren sie im Kino → "Yesterday they were at the cinema"
24.5 Sie sprechen kein Englisch → "They don't speak English"
24.6 Ich kenne sie gut → "I know them well"
24.7 Sie arbeiten zusammen → "They work together"
24.8 Was machen sie beruflich? → "What do they do professionally?"
24.9 Sie wohnen in der Stadt → "They live in the city"
24.10 Wir geben ihnen das Geld → "We're giving them the money"
24.11 Sie sind sehr freundlich → "They're very friendly"
24.12 Ihr Haus ist groß → "Their house is big"
24.13 Sie fahren morgen nach Italien → "They're driving to Italy tomorrow"
24.14 Können sie uns helfen? → "Can they help us?"
24.15 Sie haben sich gefreut → "They were pleased"
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24.1 Sie kommen aus Deutschland.
24.2 Wo sind sie jetzt?
24.3 Sie haben drei Kinder.
24.4 Gestern waren sie im Kino.
24.5 Sie sprechen kein Englisch.
24.6 Ich kenne sie gut.
24.7 Sie arbeiten zusammen.
24.8 Was machen sie beruflich?
24.9 Sie wohnen in der Stadt.
24.10 Wir geben ihnen das Geld.
24.11 Sie sind sehr freundlich.
24.12 Ihr Haus ist groß.
24.13 Sie fahren morgen nach Italien.
24.14 Können sie uns helfen?
24.15 Sie haben sich gefreut.
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Grammar Rules for This Passage:
The pronoun "sie" (they) is the third-person plural pronoun in German. Understanding its forms and usage is crucial:
1. Distinguishing Three Meanings of "sie/Sie": -
sie (they): plural, verb ends in -en: "sie kommen" (they come) -
sie (she): singular feminine, verb ends in -t: "sie kommt" (she comes) -
Sie (formal you): capitalized, verb ends in -en: "Sie kommen" (you come - formal)
2. Case Forms for "sie" (they): -
Nominative (subject): sie - "Sie kommen" (They come) -
Accusative (direct object): sie - "Ich sehe sie" (I see them) -
Dative (indirect object): ihnen - "Ich gebe ihnen das Buch" (I give them the book) -
Possessive: ihr/ihre/ihr - "ihr Haus" (their house)
3. Verb Conjugation: "Sie" (they) always takes the third-person plural form: -
Present: sie gehen, sie haben, sie sind -
Past: sie gingen, sie hatten, sie waren -
Perfect: sie sind gegangen, sie haben gemacht
4. Word Order: Like all German pronouns, "sie" follows standard word order rules: -
Statement: Sie kommen heute (They're coming today) -
Question: Kommen sie heute? (Are they coming today?) -
After other elements: Heute kommen sie (Today they're coming)
5. Reflexive Usage: "Sie" (they) uses "sich" as its reflexive pronoun: -
Sie waschen sich (They wash themselves) -
Sie freuen sich (They are happy)
Common Mistakes: -
Confusing "sie" (they) with "sie" (she) - check the verb ending! -
Using wrong dative form - it's "ihnen" not "sie" in dative -
Forgetting that "ihr" (their) must agree with the noun it modifies
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The pronoun "sie" embodies a fundamental challenge in German: distinguishing between multiple identical-looking words through context. This ambiguity rarely causes confusion for native speakers but requires attention from learners.
The Sie/sie Distinction in Writing: In formal written German, capitalization is crucial: -
"Sie" (capital) = formal you (singular or plural) -
"sie" (lowercase) = they or she At the beginning of sentences, context and verb form are your only clues.
Cultural Groups and "sie": Germans often refer to groups with "sie": -
"Die Deutschen" → "sie" (Germans → they) -
"Die Amerikaner" → "sie" (Americans → they) -
Company names: "Siemens" → "sie" (they)
Regional Variations: -
Standard German: clear [ziː] pronunciation -
Bavarian dialect: might sound like "se" [ze] -
Berlin dialect: sometimes shortened to "se" in rapid speech -
Swiss German: "si" or "sii" in dialect
Common Expressions: -
"Sie sind dran" - It's their turn -
"Was haben sie denn?" - What's wrong with them? -
"Sie lassen grüßen" - They send their regards -
"Wie sie meinen" - As they wish
Business Context: When discussing competitors or partners: -
"Sie haben neue Produkte" - They have new products -
"Sie sind Marktführer" - They are market leaders
Gender-Neutral Language: Modern German increasingly uses "sie" as a gender-neutral plural to avoid specifying gender, similar to singular "they" in English, though this usage remains controversial.
Reminder: Lesson for English speakers learning German
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Part F-A: Interleaved Text
From Schiller's "Die Räuber" (simplified):
Sie they kamen came in in der the Nacht night
Niemand nobody wusste knew wer who sie they waren were
Sie they nahmen took alles everything und and verschwanden disappeared
Ihre their Gesichter faces konnte could man one nicht not sehen see
Part F-B: The Text from F-A
Sie kamen in der Nacht. Niemand wusste, wer sie waren. Sie nahmen alles und verschwanden. Ihre Gesichter konnte man nicht sehen. → "They came in the night. Nobody knew who they were. They took everything and disappeared. One could not see their faces."
Part F-C: Original Target Language Text of F-A Only
Sie kamen in der Nacht. Niemand wusste, wer sie waren. Sie nahmen alles und verschwanden. Ihre Gesichter konnte man nicht sehen.
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This dramatic passage uses "sie" to create mystery - we don't know who "they" are. Note the past tense forms: "kamen" (came), "waren" (were), "nahmen" (took), "verschwanden" (disappeared). The possessive "ihre" agrees with the plural "Gesichter" (faces). The subordinate clause "wer sie waren" shows normal word order after the question word "wer." The impersonal "man" (one) adds to the mysterious atmosphere, typical of Schiller's dramatic style.
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Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
24.16 Sie they sind are alle all pünktlich punctual gekommen come
24.17 Meine my Eltern parents sie they bringen bring Kuchen cake mit with
24.18 Sie they sitzen sit am at-the großen big Tisch table
24.19 Was what erzählen tell sie they denn then Neues new
24.20 Sie they lachen laugh über about alte old Geschichten stories
24.21 Später later werden will sie they Karten cards spielen play
24.22 Sie they haben have uns us Fotos photos gezeigt shown
24.23 Wie how lange long bleiben stay sie they noch still
24.24 Sie they müssen must um at zehn ten gehen go
24.25 Ihre their Kinder children sind are müde tired geworden become
24.26 Sie they bedanken thank sich themselves für for die the Einladung invitation
24.27 Wann when sehen see wir we sie them wieder again
24.28 Sie they planen plan schon already das the nächste next Treffen meeting
24.29 Sie they umarmen hug sich themselves zum to-the Abschied farewell
24.30 Sie they sind are wirklich really eine a tolle great Familie family
Part B: Natural Sentences
24.16 Sie sind alle pünktlich gekommen → "They all came on time"
24.17 Meine Eltern, sie bringen Kuchen mit → "My parents, they're bringing cake"
24.18 Sie sitzen am großen Tisch → "They're sitting at the big table"
24.19 Was erzählen sie denn Neues? → "What news are they telling?"
24.20 Sie lachen über alte Geschichten → "They're laughing about old stories"
24.21 Später werden sie Karten spielen → "Later they'll play cards"
24.22 Sie haben uns Fotos gezeigt → "They showed us photos"
24.23 Wie lange bleiben sie noch? → "How long are they staying?"
24.24 Sie müssen um zehn gehen → "They have to leave at ten"
24.25 Ihre Kinder sind müde geworden → "Their children have gotten tired"
24.26 Sie bedanken sich für die Einladung → "They're thanking us for the invitation"
24.27 Wann sehen wir sie wieder? → "When will we see them again?"
24.28 Sie planen schon das nächste Treffen → "They're already planning the next gathering"
24.29 Sie umarmen sich zum Abschied → "They're hugging goodbye"
24.30 Sie sind wirklich eine tolle Familie → "They really are a great family"
Part C: Target Language Only
24.16 Sie sind alle pünktlich gekommen.
24.17 Meine Eltern, sie bringen Kuchen mit.
24.18 Sie sitzen am großen Tisch.
24.19 Was erzählen sie denn Neues?
24.20 Sie lachen über alte Geschichten.
24.21 Später werden sie Karten spielen.
24.22 Sie haben uns Fotos gezeigt.
24.23 Wie lange bleiben sie noch?
24.24 Sie müssen um zehn gehen.
24.25 Ihre Kinder sind müde geworden.
24.26 Sie bedanken sich für die Einladung.
24.27 Wann sehen wir sie wieder?
24.28 Sie planen schon das nächste Treffen.
24.29 Sie umarmen sich zum Abschied.
24.30 Sie sind wirklich eine tolle Familie.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This family gathering section demonstrates various uses of "sie" (they): -
Perfect Tense: "sie sind gekommen" (24.16), "sie haben gezeigt" (24.22) - auxiliary verb agrees with plural subject -
Separable Verbs: "mitbringen" → "sie bringen...mit" (24.17) -
Future Tense: "sie werden spielen" (24.21) - werden + infinitive -
Reflexive Verbs: "sich bedanken" (24.26), "sich umarmen" (24.29) -
Modal Verbs: "sie müssen gehen" (24.24) - modal + infinitive -
Left Dislocation: "Meine Eltern, sie..." (24.17) - topic first, then pronoun
Note example 24.25 where "ihre" (their) must agree with "Kinder" (children) in plural. The reciprocal "sich umarmen" (24.29) means they hug each other, showing how "sich" with plural subjects can indicate reciprocal action.
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The Pronoun "sie": -
Pronounced [ziː] with a long 'ee' sound -
Initial 'z' sound like 'ts' in "cats" -
Never pronounced with English 'z' sound
Related Forms: -
ihnen [ˈiːnən] - dative, stress on first syllable -
ihr [iːɐ̯] - possessive, soft final 'r' -
ihre [ˈiːrə] - possessive with ending -
ihren [ˈiːrən] - possessive accusative/dative -
ihrer [ˈiːrɐ] - possessive genitive
Distinguishing Homophones: All three meanings sound identical [ziː]: -
sie (they) - check for plural verb -
sie (she) - check for singular verb -
Sie (you formal) - capitalized, plural verb
Common Pronunciation Errors: -
Using English 'z' [z] instead of German [ts] -
Shortening the 'ie' sound -
Pronouncing 'ih' in "ihnen" like English "in"
Regional Variations: -
Standard: clear [ziː] -
Colloquial: sometimes reduced to [ze] or [zə] -
Southern dialects: may sound like [se] -
Never written in reduced form
Spelling Notes: -
"sie" never capitalized unless: -
Beginning of sentence -
Formal "Sie" (you) -
"ihnen" (them) vs. "Ihnen" (to you - formal) -
"ihr" (their) vs. "Ihr" (your - formal)
Context Clues for Meaning: -
Verb ending: -en = they or formal you; -t = she -
Previous context mentions group = they -
Previous context mentions woman = she -
Direct address = formal you (Sie)
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The Latinum Institute has been creating online language learning materials since 2006. This course uses the construed reading method, where each word is glossed individually to help learners understand the grammatical structure of German while building vocabulary naturally through repeated exposure in context.
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Cultural and linguistic notes for deeper understanding -
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The construed reading method, inspired by traditional Classical language pedagogy, has been adapted for modern languages to provide clear, systematic progression while maintaining engagement through varied, authentic content.
Each lesson in this series builds on core vocabulary while introducing natural language use, moving from simple constructions to complex authentic texts, preparing learners for real-world German communication.
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