Breakdown of Bitte beenden Sie das Programm und starten Sie es neu.
und
and
es
it
bitte
please
Sie
you
das Programm
the program
beenden
to end
neu starten
to restart
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Questions & Answers about Bitte beenden Sie das Programm und starten Sie es neu.
Is this sentence formal or informal? What role do Sie and Bitte play?
- It’s formal. Sie is the formal “you,” used with strangers, customers, or in instructions.
- Bitte softens the command into a polite request. Without Bitte, it’s still polite because of Sie, just a bit more direct.
How would I say this to a friend or a coworker I use du with?
- du-imperative: Beende das Programm und starte es neu.
- ihr-imperative (to several people you use ihr with): Beendet das Programm und startet es neu.
- You can place bitte as desired: Beende bitte …, … bitte.
Why is Sie capitalized? How do I know it’s not “she/they”?
- Capital Sie = formal “you.” Verb ends in -en: beenden Sie, starten Sie.
- Lowercase sie can mean “she” or “they.” The verb ending shows which:
- sie beendet = she ends
- sie beenden = they end (same ending as formal you, but lowercase)
Why is there no comma before und?
- German normally doesn’t use a comma before und when it simply links two main clauses. So … das Programm und … es neu needs no comma.
Why is the pronoun es used? Could it be ihn or sie?
- Pronouns match grammatical gender:
- das Programm (neuter) → es
- die Anwendung / die App (feminine) → sie: … und starten Sie sie neu.
- der Prozess (masculine) → ihn: … und starten Sie ihn neu.
What’s the difference between beenden, schließen, stoppen, and abbrechen?
- beenden: to end/quit something completely (best for “Exit/Quit”).
- schließen: to close a window/document; the app may keep running.
- stoppen: to stop/interrupt something running (a download/service).
- abbrechen: to cancel an ongoing action (installation, copy, dialog).
Why is it starten … neu instead of something like wieder starten?
- neu starten is the standard tech phrase for “restart/reboot.”
- wieder starten means “start again” but doesn’t specifically mean a proper restart/reboot.
Is neu starten one word or two? Can I write neustarten?
- Preferred in standard/UI writing: two words, neu starten. In the sentence it appears split: starten … neu.
- neustarten (one word) is increasingly common and widely understood; many style guides still recommend the two-word form.
Why does neu go at the end: starten Sie es neu?
- neu is an adverb and typically appears toward the end. With a pronoun object, German puts the pronoun before the adverb: starten Sie es neu, not starten Sie neu es.
- With a full noun object, the natural choice is: Starten Sie das Programm neu. The variant Starten Sie neu das Programm is awkward and generally avoided.
How is the formal imperative with Sie formed? Why repeat Sie after und?
- Formal imperative = verb + Sie: Beenden Sie …, Starten Sie … (contrast with a statement: Sie beenden …).
- After und, use the same structure: und starten Sie es neu. Don’t drop Sie; und starten es neu would be ungrammatical because German doesn’t drop subject pronouns.
Is beenden a separable verb? What about its participle?
- No. Prefix be- is inseparable. Forms:
- Present: ich beende
- Simple past: ich beendete
- Participle: beendet (not gebeendet)
Where can I place bitte?
All of these are natural, with slightly different tone/rhythm:
- Bitte beenden Sie das Programm und starten Sie es neu.
- Beenden Sie bitte das Programm und starten Sie es neu.
- Beenden Sie das Programm und starten Sie es bitte neu.
- Beenden Sie das Programm und starten Sie es neu, bitte. (more conversational)
Can I omit the object in the second part or altogether?
- Second part: yes—use a pronoun: … das Programm und starten Sie es neu.
- Omitting the object entirely works only if context makes it obvious: Starten Sie neu is often read as “Restart (the system),” but it’s clearer to name it: Starten Sie den Computer neu.
Is there an instruction-style version without full clauses?
- Yes, common in manuals/UIs:
- Bitte das Programm beenden und neu starten. This is elliptical but perfectly normal in instruction text.
Any alternatives to Programm I should know?
- Standard: das Programm
- Tech alternatives: die Anwendung (application), die App (app), Swiss IT also uses die Applikation. Adjust the pronoun accordingly (sie for feminine nouns).
What cases are used here?
- Sie = nominative subject.
- das Programm = accusative direct object (same form as nominative for neuter).
- es = accusative pronoun referring to das Programm.