bist du sicher?
In German, "are you sure?" is translated as bist du sicher?
This phrase is used to ask someone if they are certain about a specific fact or a decision. Note that the word sicher can mean "sure" or "certain," but depending on the context, it can also mean "safe" or "secure."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bist du sicher? uses the informal singular pronoun du, which is appropriate for friends, family or peers. If you are addressing a group of people with whom you are on informal terms, use seid ihr sicher? For formal address, the phrase sind Sie sicher? uses the formal Sie.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When expressing that you are not certain, it is common to use the reflexive construction ich bin mir nicht sicher rather than just saying ich bin nicht sicher.
Did you know?
- The word sicher shares a common ancestor with the English word 'secure', both stemming from the Latin word 'securus', which literally means 'without care' or 'carefree'.
- If someone answers Sicher! to this question, it functions as a strong 'Of course!' rather than just a confirmation of certainty.
- While sicher means 'sure', it is also used in the phrase sicher gehen, which translates to 'playing it safe'.
Examples in context
- Sind Sie sicher, dass dieser Bericht korrekt ist?Are you sure that this report is correct?
- Bist du sicher, dass die Party heute stattfindet?Are you sure the party is happening today?
- Bist du sicher?Are you sure?
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are deciding whether to go out in the rain.
- JulianWir sollten jetzt gehen.We should go now.
- SarahBist du sicher? Es regnet sehr stark.Are you sure? It is raining very hard.
- JulianJa, ich habe einen Schirm dabei.Yes, I have an umbrella with me.
- SarahNa gut, dann gehen wir.Alright, then let's go.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bist, du, sicher, CC BY-SA 4.0.
