Breakdown of Entschuldigen Sie, wo ist das Hotel?
sein
to be
Sie
you (formal)
wo
where
das Hotel
the hotel
entschuldigen
to excuse
Questions & Answers about Entschuldigen Sie, wo ist das Hotel?
How does the formal command work in Entschuldigen Sie?
To give a command or make a polite request to someone you don't know well, you use the formal Sie form. You simply take the infinitive (the dictionary form) of the verb, which is entschuldigen, and put Sie right after it.
Why do we include the word Sie here? In English, commands drop the 'you'.
German keeps the pronoun in the formal imperative. If you dropped it, it would sound like you are just stating the dictionary word. Including the capitalized Sie makes it clear that you are politely addressing the other person.
Where is the word for 'me' in this phrase?
There isn't one! While English speakers say 'Excuse me', German speakers usually just say Entschuldigen Sie (literally 'Excuse, you') to get someone's attention. The 'me' is naturally understood.
How would I say 'Excuse me' to a group of strangers instead of just one?
It stays exactly the same! The formal Sie is used whether you are addressing one stranger or a whole group of them, so Entschuldigen Sie works perfectly for both situations.
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