Questions & Answers about Sind Sie ledig oder geschieden?
Why is Sie capitalized in this sentence?
Sie with a capital "S" is the formal word for "you". It is used when speaking to strangers, colleagues, or people in authority. If you were asking a friend or someone younger, you would use the informal du and change the verb: Bist du ledig oder geschieden?
Can I just use the English word "Single" in German instead of ledig?
Yes, Germans frequently use the English loanword Single (capitalized like all German nouns) to describe someone who is not in a relationship. However, ledig is the traditional, official word for "unmarried" and is the exact term you will see on government forms or official documents.
Is geschieden a verb or an adjective here?
It acts as an adjective describing your relationship status, just like "divorced" does in English. However, it originally comes from the past participle of the verb scheiden (to separate or divorce).
What are the other common words for marital status I should know?
The four main official relationship statuses you will see on forms are ledig (single/unmarried), verheiratet (married), geschieden (divorced), and verwitwet (widowed).