sie
/ziː/
The German word for the non-binary they/them is sie.
The pronoun sie is used to refer to non-binary individuals. In written German, it is orthographically identical to the feminine singular 'she' and the third-person plural 'they', meaning context is required to distinguish them.
Meaning: non-binary person (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, die Leut' may be used in informal settings to refer to 'they/them'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun sie follows the same conjugation patterns as the third-person plural 'they' or the feminine singular 'she'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ziː/
Did you know?
- In professional German settings, the quest for gender-neutrality has led to the use of the Gendersternchen, where an asterisk is inserted into words to include non-binary people.
- While sie is used for non-binary individuals, the German language is currently experiencing a wider social debate over whether to create entirely new pronouns, such as xier, to avoid ambiguity.
- The word sie shares a common Proto-Germanic ancestor with the Old English word 'sēo', which was used to mean 'that one'.
Examples in context
- Sie sind freundlich.They are friendly.
- Sie sind nett.They are nice.
- Tim und Petra, sie gehen ins Kino.Tim and Petra, they are going to the movies.
- Marie und Max, sie haben ein Baby bekommen.Marie and Max, they had a baby.
- Si sind im ParkThey are in the park
- Die Leut' hab'n es gutThey have it good
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are talking about a new acquaintance.
- FelixWer ist die Person dort?Who is that person over there?
- JuliaDas ist unser neue Kollege, sie.That is our new colleague, they/them.
- FelixVerwendet sie also das Pronomen sie?So they use the pronoun 'sie'?
- JuliaJa, genau.Yes, exactly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
