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sinkingfeeling

(57,948 posts) Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:05 AM Apr 3

Look who made the cover of Der Spiegel

19 replies

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Highlight:

Look who made the cover of Der Spiegel (Original Post) sinkingfeeling Apr 3 OP

Who is it? CurtEastPoint Apr 3 #1

It's a cover story about the increasing use of informal forms of German in the public sphere (Du versus Sie for instance Celerity Apr 3 #6

Like t versus usted? Iggo Apr 3 #8

tú Celerity Apr 3 #9

Fucking autocorrect. Iggo Apr 3 #17

Yes. ShazzieB Apr 3 #11

I think the most common usage is to use "Sie" when meeting for the first time... Wounded Bear Apr 3 #12

Yes, Sie for first meeting Old Crank Apr 3 #16

LOL EarlG Apr 3 #2

Give Der Spiegel a free years Star Member subscription,.. magicarpet Apr 3 #4

In German, the word "du" is the informal form of "you." wnylib Apr 3 #5

like "tu" and "vous" in French. generalbetrayus Apr 3 #7

Or "tu" and "usted" in Spanish. Marcuse Apr 3 #14

Well done... displacedvermoter Apr 3 #3

Is Melaaaaaaaniaaaaah on the pages in between? twodogsbarking Apr 3 #10

Nah - the Germans have class. erronis Apr 3 #13

I must be so fuckin' DENSE!...... some_of_us_are_sane Apr 3 #15

Actually, since it is a German paper, I think it is saying, "Hey, you!" wnylib Apr 4 #18

Next magazine cover to aspire for... True Dough Apr 4 #19

CurtEastPoint

(20,078 posts)

1. Who is it?

Reply to sinkingfeeling (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:07 AM

Apr 3

Celerity

(54,790 posts)

6. It's a cover story about the increasing use of informal forms of German in the public sphere (Du versus Sie for instance

Reply to CurtEastPoint (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:54 PM

Apr 3

when it comes to 'you', with 'Du' being informal versus the formal 'Sie').

Du VS Sie? How to address people in German!

Iggo

(50,021 posts)

8. Like t versus usted?

Reply to Celerity (Reply #6)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 01:16 PM

Apr 3

Celerity

(54,790 posts)

9. tú

Reply to Iggo (Reply #8)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 01:23 PM

Apr 3

.........and yes

Iggo

(50,021 posts)

17. Fucking autocorrect.

Reply to Celerity (Reply #9)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 06:58 PM

Apr 3

ShazzieB

(22,810 posts)

11. Yes.

Reply to Iggo (Reply #8)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 01:54 PM

Apr 3

Another example is tu v. vous in French.

As an American, I have always found this distinction between different forms of "you" hard to grasp (not the concept, but how and when to use them). English is a tough language to learn in many ways, but at least this one aspect is simple: in English, "you" means "you," not matter who "you" is.

Wounded Bear

(64,528 posts)

12. I think the most common usage is to use "Sie" when meeting for the first time...

Reply to ShazzieB (Reply #11)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 01:58 PM

Apr 3

Kind of like calling someone "sir" in English when you first meet.

The informal "du" is for someone you already know fairly well.

(High school German student)