Do modern day germans use du more than sie than previous generations.?

Question

One of my old German handbooks say Germans reserve du for very few occasions. But when I speak in German they never want to use Sie(formal) but informal Du(informal).

Please only answer if you are native or have lived in Germany or other German speaking countries for some time.

Answer 1

I give my students and my eldest daughter this advice which has worked wonders for them:

Use "Sie" to talk to Germans, Austrians, Swiss and other German speakers you meet for the first time. And if they use "du" to address you, then use "du" in return. My daughter, Cassandra, who is reading first year Law at Cardiff University, UK, spent a week holiday in Hamburg and Berlin from 18 to 23 December and said enthusiastically that my advice worked superbly for her. Generally, she finds that Germans tend to use "du" even when talking to strangers.

Perhaps the following guidelines will help you:

Use "Sie" with strangers, people you meet for the first time and people you are not well acquainted with. If they address you as "du" than it's safe for you to use "du" to address them, individually.

Use "du" to a person you're familiar with or close to: a friend, a close business associate, a relative, anyone you're on first name terms.

Use "du" when talking to a young person or a student.

Remember "du" is the second person singular and can only be used to address one person.

Use "ihr" when talking to two or more people with whom you would use "du" to address individually.

When in doubt, use "Sie".

These days, with e-mails, IM chats, and Internet phone calls, most German speakers tend to use "du". However, in business and government, many German speakers prefer some formality with people they come into contact in their work even though they may be their friends or colleagues. So, it is quite usual to hear German colleagues addressing each other Herr Schmidt or Frau Klug and use "Sie" in their conversation. My good German friend, the late Günter Conradi, insisted on addressing me Herr Lee, although we sometimes used "du" in our conversation and in letters. Another one of my very good German-speaking friends, Dr Heinz Maier, an Austrian who is a teacher like me, insists that we "duzen" and will not even use "Herrn" on the envelope in letters addressed to me because we're like brothers.

Having said this, Germans, Austrians, Swiss, etc., aren't particular about whether you use "Sie", "du" or "ihr" when talking to them. They're thrilled when a foreigner can speak their language. And over the years, I've made many long lasting friendships with Germans, Austrians, Swiss, etc., because I can speak their language.

Viele liebe Grüße aus Malaysia!

Ein Gutes Neues Jahr!

Answer 2

I doubt that whether a band uses the word influences a generation. If referring to lyrics of a song, I'd never write a song about someone I had to "Siezen".

It seems that more people use "du", especially in familiar surroundings with unfamiliar people. For example in a workplace with colleagues (not superiors), in the stands of a football or hockey game with a bunch of people who all share the same interest, etc.

Now with the internet generation, the walls of formality have crashed as quickly as the Berlin Wall, and everyone you meet on the web in IM, chat rooms or on networking sites will "duzen" pretty much as standard.

"Sie" still remains in a formal, polite use as we understand it in English, particularly when meeting strangers in a customer-business setting for example.

Answer 3

if you talk to a person for example that you don't really know you'd say sie out of respect, or maybe an older person.

but if you are talking to a person that you've known for a while or your friends or family you'd say du.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Yes, du is becomming more and more acceptable among younger persons, however, it is still considered very presumptous for a younger person, or a person not well known, or family, to use it to an older person in Germany, and never to a stranger. Imagine trying to attract someones attention in the US by saying "hey you" instead of "excuse me" to get their attention.

Answer 6

well im sorry to say i really speak german but popular bands(which i listen to) use du more often so i'd say that obviously the kids are learning to use it so their generation probably will/does use it more.

Answer 7

it depends on the region

Answer 8

I think it's used more, like we use slang.