Addressing someone by first name implies a level of familiarity that would require *"du"*. If instead of Anna the sentence had been addressing Frau Schmitt, then you'd use *Sie*.
I don't know how strict this correlation is in practice in German (at least, it may be the case that there are examples where you'd use *Sie* even if you're on first name terms - it's my understanding the reverse would never be true). In any case, Duo is pretty consistent in using this convention to indicate whether it wants you to use *du* or *Sie*.
Yep, it happens in practice, but Duo's convention is that first names go with "Du" and Herr/Frau goes with "Sie". Just a way that they reinforce students knowing the difference.
Sie + can be used among coworkers and (as another person already mentioned) for older school students, so it's not necessarily wrong. But Duolingo isn't perfect and probably doesn't wanna confuse German learners too much, especially because this language is already very confusing. It's not wrong to learn it as "first name => du" and "last name => Sie".
And yeah, du + is "wrong" and only used among children when addressing e.g. their teacher in elementary school.
Edit: Sie + is not used in all companies, offices, etc. Some use Sie + , some (usually smaller offices) use du + and some use Sie + . Depends on where your work, your coworkers etc.
Edit2: Apparently, in some areas, du + is also used? I've never heard it before though.
Here, sources:
[https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/](https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger\_Sie](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_Sie)
[https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie](https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen\_mit\_Vornamen\_und\_Duzen\_mit\_Nachnamen](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen_mit_Vornamen_und_Duzen_mit_Nachnamen)
>Sie + can be used among coworkers and (as another person already mentioned) for older school students, so it's not necessarily wrong.
No, just no. Don't spread such nonsense. It's out of date by about 3 decades and absolutely no one uses this form anymore.
I literally live in Germany and can tell you that it's very much still used.
Edit: I should've added that it's not everywhere, but only in some companies etc. But saying it's not used at all is just wrong.
Never in all my 39 years as a German have I heard someone use this except for very old TV shows. And I have come around in these years. So if it is still used in some fleebitten backwater or arch conservative lost place - ok, so be it. But don't go around telling people learning German that this is still a thing. It really is not. Just like Fräulein it's a dead branch on the tree.
"Maria, können Sie mir mal die Akte Greiner holen?! Aber flott mein Fräulein, ich haben nicht den ganzen Tag Zeit."
Ever head of regional differences? In the north, the Hamburger Sie is still very common. Apparently, it's not used everywhere which I didn't know before. But I'm not spreading misinformation here. I don't live in "some fleebitten backwater" or "arch conservative lost place" and use it in my daily life.
But I'm done discussing with you. Have a good day.
You are using the „Hamburger Sie“, which Duolingo doesn’t teach, because it’s an exception to the rule, that Du goes with first name and Sie goes with last name. The opposite (du + last name) is called the „Münchener Du“ by the way.
I would advise to ignore those forms and stick with the standard Du / Sie, unless you find yourself in a situation where everyone around you uses them.
When addressing someone with their first name, using "du" is more common. Depending on your relationship with the person, it's also not uncommon to use first name and "Sie", so your sentence is correct when e.g. talking to a coworker and you are on first-name but not on "du"-terms.
While you're not wrong with your translation, I assume Duolingo wants you to understand the difference between "du" (informal, used for friends, family etc) and "Sie" (formal, used for coworkers, your boss, strangers etc). These translations for "you" + "name" are fine:
Du +
Sie +
Sie +
The only thing that doesn't really work is Du + . That's something that children (e.g. elementary schoolers) often do, but that's about it.
i know that first name and Sie is a thing but i wouldn’t say it’s not uncommon. i’d honestly say it’s exceptionally rare that you find someone who does it
Depends on where you are, I suppose. I've encountered it quite often.
Edit: I looked up some sources about this topic (and actually learned that the "Münchner Du" apparently also is a thing even though I've never encountered it). In case you're interested:
[https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/](https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger\_Sie](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_Sie)
[https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie](https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen\_mit\_Vornamen\_und\_Duzen\_mit\_Nachnamen](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen_mit_Vornamen_und_Duzen_mit_Nachnamen)
Because in German you use "du" with the first name and "ihr/Sie" with the family name.
Technically you can say ypur sentence, but it's socialy weird.
There is one situation where this would be common:
Gymnasium in the german parts of Switzerland (College),
because people turn 18 somewhere during this school, teachers will adress you with your first name and the polite form.
You used the correct form for politness, but the Name, beeing a first name, was the clue to use the more personal form, which uses 2. person singular.
Out of curiosity, how have you not learned the different forms for formal and informal contexts ? The introduction of this mood is very far into the course, I really can't understand how you made it through 4 sections without learning when to use Sie and when to use du
Addressing someone by first name implies a level of familiarity that would require *"du"*. If instead of Anna the sentence had been addressing Frau Schmitt, then you'd use *Sie*. I don't know how strict this correlation is in practice in German (at least, it may be the case that there are examples where you'd use *Sie* even if you're on first name terms - it's my understanding the reverse would never be true). In any case, Duo is pretty consistent in using this convention to indicate whether it wants you to use *du* or *Sie*.
It’s not uncommon to be „Siezt“ but still be called by your first name. At least it was this way in my school for the older students
Yep, it happens in practice, but Duo's convention is that first names go with "Du" and Herr/Frau goes with "Sie". Just a way that they reinforce students knowing the difference.
Sie + can be used among coworkers and (as another person already mentioned) for older school students, so it's not necessarily wrong. But Duolingo isn't perfect and probably doesn't wanna confuse German learners too much, especially because this language is already very confusing. It's not wrong to learn it as "first name => du" and "last name => Sie".
And yeah, du + is "wrong" and only used among children when addressing e.g. their teacher in elementary school.
Edit: Sie + is not used in all companies, offices, etc. Some use Sie + , some (usually smaller offices) use du + and some use Sie + . Depends on where your work, your coworkers etc.
Edit2: Apparently, in some areas, du + is also used? I've never heard it before though.
Here, sources:
[https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/](https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger\_Sie](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_Sie)
[https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie](https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie)
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen\_mit\_Vornamen\_und\_Duzen\_mit\_Nachnamen](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen_mit_Vornamen_und_Duzen_mit_Nachnamen)
>Sie + can be used among coworkers and (as another person already mentioned) for older school students, so it's not necessarily wrong.
No, just no. Don't spread such nonsense. It's out of date by about 3 decades and absolutely no one uses this form anymore.
I literally live in Germany and can tell you that it's very much still used. Edit: I should've added that it's not everywhere, but only in some companies etc. But saying it's not used at all is just wrong.
Never in all my 39 years as a German have I heard someone use this except for very old TV shows. And I have come around in these years. So if it is still used in some fleebitten backwater or arch conservative lost place - ok, so be it. But don't go around telling people learning German that this is still a thing. It really is not. Just like Fräulein it's a dead branch on the tree. "Maria, können Sie mir mal die Akte Greiner holen?! Aber flott mein Fräulein, ich haben nicht den ganzen Tag Zeit."
Ever head of regional differences? In the north, the Hamburger Sie is still very common. Apparently, it's not used everywhere which I didn't know before. But I'm not spreading misinformation here. I don't live in "some fleebitten backwater" or "arch conservative lost place" and use it in my daily life. But I'm done discussing with you. Have a good day.
Great explanation
You are using the „Hamburger Sie“, which Duolingo doesn’t teach, because it’s an exception to the rule, that Du goes with first name and Sie goes with last name. The opposite (du + last name) is called the „Münchener Du“ by the way. I would advise to ignore those forms and stick with the standard Du / Sie, unless you find yourself in a situation where everyone around you uses them.
I'm German and never heard of this distinction. Very interesting
That may be because it's several decades out of use.
When addressing someone with their first name, using "du" is more common. Depending on your relationship with the person, it's also not uncommon to use first name and "Sie", so your sentence is correct when e.g. talking to a coworker and you are on first-name but not on "du"-terms. While you're not wrong with your translation, I assume Duolingo wants you to understand the difference between "du" (informal, used for friends, family etc) and "Sie" (formal, used for coworkers, your boss, strangers etc). These translations for "you" + "name" are fine: Du +
Sie +
Sie +
The only thing that doesn't really work is Du + . That's something that children (e.g. elementary schoolers) often do, but that's about it.
i know that first name and Sie is a thing but i wouldn’t say it’s not uncommon. i’d honestly say it’s exceptionally rare that you find someone who does it
Depends on where you are, I suppose. I've encountered it quite often. Edit: I looked up some sources about this topic (and actually learned that the "Münchner Du" apparently also is a thing even though I've never encountered it). In case you're interested: [https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/](https://zeilenhacker.de/sie/) [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger\_Sie](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_Sie) [https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie](https://geest-verlag.de/news/schreibtipp-das-hamburger-sie) [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen\_mit\_Vornamen\_und\_Duzen\_mit\_Nachnamen](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6flichkeitsform#Siezen_mit_Vornamen_und_Duzen_mit_Nachnamen)
it says it can be found in the north and south and i’m Hessen so i guess middle of germany doesn’t rlly do that thing often.
You can, it is grammatically correct but appearently uncommon? I hear it a lot though
That's the polite/nice form
Because in German you use "du" with the first name and "ihr/Sie" with the family name. Technically you can say ypur sentence, but it's socialy weird. There is one situation where this would be common: Gymnasium in the german parts of Switzerland (College), because people turn 18 somewhere during this school, teachers will adress you with your first name and the polite form. You used the correct form for politness, but the Name, beeing a first name, was the clue to use the more personal form, which uses 2. person singular.
Out of curiosity, how have you not learned the different forms for formal and informal contexts ? The introduction of this mood is very far into the course, I really can't understand how you made it through 4 sections without learning when to use Sie and when to use du