sei freundlich
The English phrase "be kind" can be translated into German as sei freundlich.
This phrase is used as a request or command to act in a friendly and generous way toward others. To enhance politeness, you can add the word bitte to act as "please". When you want to say "be kind to [someone]", use the preposition zu followed by the dative case.
How does it change in a sentence?
German uses different imperative forms depending on how many people you are addressing and the level of formality. sei freundlich is the singular imperative, used when addressing one person informally. If you are addressing two or more people informally, use seid freundlich. For formal situations involving one or more people, use Seien Sie freundlich.
Did you know?
- The German word freundlich can describe both a person's personality and the weather. If a day is 'mild' or 'pleasant', a German speaker might call it freundlich.
- In a professional setting, telling a colleague to Seien Sie freundlich might actually sound like a criticism of their current behavior rather than a general piece of advice.
- The adjective freundlich shares the same ancient root as the English word 'friend', stemming from the Proto-Germanic word for 'to love'.
Examples in context
- Sei freundlich zu anderen.Be kind to others.This sentence shows how to use sei freundlich to tell someone to be kind to others.Tatoeba #9163590 by Tepan, translation #939849 by CK
- Sei freundlich zu Kindern.Be kind to kids.This sentence shows how to use sei freundlich to tell someone to be kind to kids.Tatoeba #11920772 by Naina, translation #11920138 by Amastan
- Sei freundlich zu deinen Eltern!Be kind to your parents.This sentence shows how to use sei freundlich to tell someone to be kind to their parents.Tatoeba #8667240 by Melang, translation #3821618 by CK
- Seien Sie bitte nett.Could you please be kind.
- Sei bitte nett.Please be kind.
- Sei nett zu dir selbst.Be kind to yourself.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are talking about how to treat new neighbors.
- LukasSei freundlich zu den Nachbarn.Be kind to the neighbors.
- HannahDas werde ich machen.I will do that.
- LukasEin Lächeln hilft oft.A smile often helps.
- HannahDu hast recht, Lukas.You are right, Lukas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries freundlich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
