Learn Hardcore German: Du sprichst leise.

Because the subject du is 2nd person singular. In German, 2nd person singular verbs end in -st (“du sprichst”), while 3rd person singular verbs end in -t (“er/sie/es spricht”).

Why is leise placed at the end of the sentence?

In a German main clause the finite verb must occupy the second position. After du (position 1) comes sprichst (position 2), and adverbs like leise typically follow the verb. So you get Du sprichst leise.

Is leise here an adjective or an adverb? Why doesn’t it change its ending?

Here leise modifies the verb sprechen, so it’s an adverb. German adverbs are not inflected, which is why leise remains in its base form.

How would you turn Du sprichst leise. into a yes/no question?

Invert subject and verb:
Sprichst du leise?

What’s the formal way to say “You speak quietly” in German?

Use the polite pronoun Sie with the 3rd person plural form:
Sie sprechen leise.

Can you drop the subject du in German as in English?

Standard German requires the subject pronoun because verb endings alone are often not enough to identify the subject clearly. In very casual spoken German you might hear it omitted, but it’s not grammatically correct in writing or formal speech.

How do you pronounce sprichst? That consonant cluster looks tricky.

Phonetically it’s [ˈʃpʁɪçst]:

sp = [ʃp] (like “shp”)
r = a uvular or trilled “r”
ich = the voiceless palatal fricative [ç] (the “ich‑Laut”)
st = [st] at the end

What’s the difference between leise and ruhig when talking about quietness?

Leise refers to low volume (sound level)—“softly.” Ruhig means calm or not agitated. So leise sprechen = speak softly, ruhig sprechen = speak calmly.