How to Introduce Yourself in Germany: Formal vs Informal Rules

Establishing Your Identity: Origins and Professions

In Lesson 1, we learned how to use the verb Sein to define who we are. However, life in Germany involves more than just “being”—it involves “coming from” and “working as.” Whether you are filling out a form at the Ausländerbehörde or meeting a new neighbor, you will constantly be asked about your background. This lesson will teach you how to describe your origins and your professional life with precision, while navigating the crucial cultural boundaries of German formality.

For an expat, these interactions are the building blocks of a social and professional network. Understanding how to conjugate regular verbs and when to switch between formal and informal address is what separates a beginner from someone who truly understands German culture.

1. The Verb “Kommen” (To Come)

To tell someone where you are from, we use the verb Kommen. Unlike the verb Sein, this is a “Regular Verb.” In German, regular verbs follow a strict pattern: you take the “stem” of the verb and add a specific ending based on the subject. Mastering this pattern now will allow you to conjugate thousands of other German verbs later.

Subject Pronoun	Ending	Verb Form (Kommen)
Ich (I)	-e	Ich komme
Du (You – informal)	-st	Du kommst
Er / Sie / Es (He/She/It)	-t	Er kommt
Wir (We)	-en	Wir kommen
Ihr (You all – informal)	-t	Ihr kommt
Sie / sie (Formal / They)	-en	Sie kommen

Important Note: When stating your country, use the preposition “aus”.
Example: “Ich komme aus الـUSA” or “Ich komme aus Indien.”

2. Social Protocol: Du vs. Sie

As an expat, the “Du vs. Sie” dilemma is real. Germany is a society that values privacy and professional distance. Using the wrong pronoun isn’t just a grammar mistake; it’s a social one.

• Use “Sie”: With anyone you don’t know personally, colleagues (unless invited otherwise), authorities, and people older than you. It signals respect.
• Use “Du”: With friends, family, children, and peers in very casual settings (like a sports club).
• The “Ihr” factor: If you are talking to a group of friends, use “Ihr.” If you are talking to a group of strangers or in a business meeting, use “Sie.”

3. What Do You Do for a Living? (Beruf)

In English, we say “I am a teacher.” In German, we omit the “a”. You simply say “Ich bin [Job Title]”. Using “ein” here is a common beginner mistake that makes your German sound unnatural.

Profession (Male)	Profession (Female)	English
Ingenieur	Ingenieurin	Engineer
Arzt	Ärztin	Doctor
Lehrer	Lehrerin	Teacher
Student	Studentin	Student

4. Asking Questions: The “W-Questions”

To navigate life in Germany, you must be able to ask for information. “W-Questions” always put the verb in the second position. This is a rule we will explore deeply in Lesson 3, but let’s start with these essentials:

• Wer? (Who): “Wer sind Sie?” (Who are you?)
• Woher? (Where from): “Woher kommen Sie?” (Where do you come from?)
• Was? (What): “Was machen Sie beruflich?” (What do you do for a living?)
• Wo? (Where): “Wo wohnen Sie?” (Where do you live?)

5. Practical Expat Scenarios

Scenario A: At a Networking Event
“Guten Tag, ich bin Sarah. Ich bin Softwareentwicklerin. Und Sie? Was machen Sie beruflich?”
(Hello, I am Sarah. I am a software developer. And you? What do you do for a living?)

Scenario B: Introducing a Friend
“Das ist Mark. Er kommt aus Kanada. Er ist Ingenieur.”
(This is Mark. He comes from Canada. He is an engineer.)

6. Practice Exercises

A. Fill in the correct verb ending for “Kommen”:

1. Woher _________ du?
2. Wir _________ aus Spanien.
3. Meine Kollegin _________ aus Polen.
4. _________ Sie aus Berlin?

B. Correct the mistakes in these sentences:

1. Ich bin ein Arzt. (Correct: _________)
2. Woher kommt du? (Correct: _________)
3. Sie kommen aus الـUSA. (Context: Formal You). (Correct: _________)

Lesson Summary Checklist

[ ] I can conjugate regular verbs like Kommen.
[ ] I know when to use “Sie” (formal) vs “Du” (informal).
[ ] I can state my profession without using “ein” or “eine”.
[ ] I can ask “Who,” “What,” and “Where from” using W-questions.