German Formal and Informal Address

Which of the following phrases is considered an informal greeting in German?

• Guten Tag!

• Grüß dich!

• Guten Morgen!

• Guten Abend!

With whom can you use the greeting “Hallo!”?

• Your coach

• Your teacher

• Your classmate

• Someone you don't know

Which of the following phrases is considered the most formal way to say goodbye in German?

• Tschüss!

• Auf Wiedersehen!

• Tschau!

• Nacht!

True or False? In German, you would address your elderly grandfather using the formal address.

• True

• False

You see that your new neighbor, an older woman whom you’ve never met, is having trouble taking out the trash. You ask her if you can help. Which pronoun would you use to address her?

• du

• ihr

• Sie

True or False? In German, you would address your high school classmates formally if you do not know their names.

• True

• False

You would like to ask a police officer for directions to the park. Which form of address would you use in your question and why?

• Formal – Because the police will arrest you if you are impolite.

• Informal – Because you are a teenager and you're informal with everyone.

• Formal - Because the police are public servants who deserve respect.

• Informal - Because you're not asking about official police business.

You forgot which homework assignment is due tomorrow, so you decide to ask a classmate. Which pronoun should you use to address her?

• du

• ihr

• Sie

You’re babysitting your neighbor’s five-year-old child. Which form of address would you use to tell the child to go to bed and why?

• Formal – Because you want to tell the child politely.

• Informal – Because the child is much younger than you.

• Formal – Because the child’s father is a respected member of the community.

• Informal – Because German kids don’t learn formal address until adulthood.

Which of the following questions would be appropriate for asking a stranger what time it is?

• Hast du die Uhrzeit?

• Haben Sie die Uhrzeit?