You already know how to use the impersonal pronoun man to talk about people in general, or to say "you" or "one" (as in, "One never stops learning"). But what happens when "you" are the object of the sentence?
The word man only exists in the nominative case. To use the general "one" or "you" as an object, German borrows forms from the indefinite article ein. These forms do not change based on your gender; they are always the same.
The Accusative: einen
If the general "you" or "one" is the direct object of an action, use the accusative form einen. You will see this often with verbs that take direct objects, like motivieren (to motivate), belasten (to burden), or beruhigen (to calm).
| A good book can really motivate you. | Ein gutes Buch kann einen wirklich motivieren. |
| Too much stress definitely burdens you. | Zu viel Stress belastet einen auf jeden Fall. |
| The truth often calms you, even if it is hard. | Die Wahrheit beruhigt einen oft, auch wenn sie hart ist. |
The Dative: einem
When "you" or "one" is the indirect object—usually the receiver of an action, such as when something gives "you" courage—use the dative form einem.
| A loyal friend gives you courage. | Ein treuer Freund gibt einem Mut. |
| This experience gives you a new perspective. | Diese Erfahrung gibt einem eine neue Perspektive. |
This also applies to verbs that strictly require the dative case, such as schaden (to harm) or helfen (to help).
| You need clarity so that nobody harms you. | Man braucht Klarheit, damit einem niemand schadet. |
Putting It All Together
When giving life advice or talking about human motivation, you will often mix and match these forms depending on what the verbs in your sentence require. Just remember to ask yourself whether the verb takes a direct object (einen) or an indirect or dative object (einem).
| Sports strengthen you and give you self-confidence. | Sport stärkt einen und gibt einem Selbstvertrauen. |
| This film inspires you and gives you courage. | Dieser Film inspiriert einen und gibt einem Mut. |