siezen
to address someone formally (using 'Sie')
Advanced Verb
🔊
Pronunciation
/ˈziːtsn̩/
💡
Cultural Note
Siezen (using Sie) is the default in German professional life, with strangers, and with elders. The formal 'Sie' is always capitalized in writing. Some modern startups and the entire IKEA brand use 'du' with everyone, but this remains the exception. Knowing when to siezen is essential for navigating German social hierarchy.
📝 Example Sentences
In Deutschland siezt man Fremde.
In Germany, people address strangers formally.
Soll ich Sie siezen oder duzen?
Should I address you formally or informally?
Meine Großeltern siezen sich gegenseitig.
My grandparents address each other with 'Sie'.