du solltest
The English phrase "you should" is translated into German as du solltest.
This phrase is used to give a recommendation or a piece of advice to someone.
Which one should you use?
While du solltest is a soft recommendation, du sollst is a stronger expression of duty or an instruction (are supposed to).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes depending on who you are addressing: use ihr solltet when giving advice to a group of people you address informally. To say "he/she/it should", use er/sie/es sollte, which is identical to the first-person singular form.
Did you know?
- If you use du solltest to a stranger, you might sound unintentionally condescending. In many German social settings, giving unsolicited advice to someone you do not know well is seen as an intrusion of privacy.
- The word du shares a common ancestor with the archaic English word 'thou'. They both stem from the same Proto-Indo-European root used to denote a second-person singular pronoun.
- There is a subtle nuance where du sollst sounds like a divine or legal command. If a character in a German play says Du sollst das tun, it sounds much more like a biblical commandment than a friendly suggestion.
Examples in context
- Du solltest es tun.You should do it.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase du solltest.Tatoeba #8822588 by wolfgangth, translation #5367528 by CK
- Du solltest das tun.You should do that.Tatoeba #8822575 by wolfgangth, translation #4815571 by CK
- Du solltest es wissen.You should know it.Tatoeba #837334 by al_ex_an_der, translation #327658 by CK
- Du solltest mehr Sport treiben.You should do more sports.
- Mach doch einen Ausflug in die Natur.You should go on a trip into nature.
- Sie sollten regelmäßig Berichte einreichen.You should submit reports regularly.
- Machen Sie doch einen Vorschlag für die nächste Sitzung.You should make a proposal for the next meeting.
- 918 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A friend gives advice to another friend about his health.
- LauraDu siehst sehr müde aus, Lukas.You look very tired, Lukas.
- LukasJa, ich habe letzte Nacht kaum geschlafen.Yes, I hardly slept last night.
- LauraDu solltest dich heute etwas ausruhen.You should rest a bit today.
- LukasDas ist ein guter Rat, Laura.That is a good piece of advice, Laura.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
