……
Questions & Answers about Bitte sei höflich.
Why is it sei and not bist?
German imperatives use special forms. For the verb sein (to be), the imperative is irregular:
- Informal singular (du): Sei höflich.
- Informal plural (ihr): Seid höflich.
- Formal (Sie): Seien Sie höflich.
- Inclusive “let’s” (wir): Seien wir höflich. (stylistically formal; everyday German prefers Lass(t) uns höflich sein.)
How do I say this to more than one person informally?
Use the ihr imperative: Bitte seid höflich.
How do I say it politely to a stranger or in a formal context?
Use the Sie form: Bitte seien Sie höflich. Remember to capitalize Sie.
Can I move bitte around in the sentence?
Yes. All of these are fine, with only slight nuance differences:
- Bitte sei höflich. (neutral request)
- Sei bitte höflich. (focuses the “please” on the verb)
- Sei höflich, bitte. (tag-like, often softer or more insistent depending on tone)
Do I need a comma after Bitte?
Not necessarily. Both are acceptable:
- Bitte sei höflich. (no comma; bitte as a particle)
- Bitte, sei höflich. (comma; bitte as an interjection) The version without a comma is more common in simple requests.
Should this end with a period or an exclamation point?
Both are possible:
- Bitte sei höflich. (softer)
- Bitte sei höflich! (more forceful or urgent) Choose based on tone.
Why is höflich not inflected here (why not höfliche)?
After forms of sein used predicatively (describing a subject’s state), adjectives have no ending: Sei höflich.
When used attributively before a noun, the adjective inflects: ein höflicher Mensch, höfliche Kinder.
Is it okay to write this as a sign or instruction like “Please be polite”?
Yes. Typical sign/instruction styles include:
- Bitte höflich sein. (elliptical imperative)
- Bitte seien Sie höflich. (formal)
- Wir bitten um höfliches Verhalten. (more formal/neutral) For embedding in a clause: Ich bitte dich, höflich zu sein.
What’s the nuance difference between höflich, freundlich, nett, and artig?
- höflich: polite, observing manners and respectful language (can be formal/courteous).
- freundlich: friendly, kind in demeanor and attitude.
- nett: nice/pleasant; casual and warm, but less about etiquette.
- artig: well-behaved/obedient (mostly about children). Examples:
- Sei höflich (mind your manners).
- Sei freundlich (be friendly).
- Sei nett (be nice).
- Sei artig (be good/well-behaved; to kids).
How do I negate this naturally?
To say “Don’t be rude,” German prefers the opposite adjective:
- Sei nicht unhöflich. (most idiomatic) “Sei nicht höflich” means “Don’t be polite,” which is a different message (and often ironic). You can soften: Sei bitte nicht so unhöflich.
How do I pronounce the words, and what is the vowel in höflich?
- Bitte: [ˈbɪtə] (BIT-te)
- sei: [zaɪ] (z-eye; initial s is voiced like English z)
- höflich: [ˈhøːflɪç] (HÖÖF-likh; long rounded vowel like French “peu,” and final ch is the soft “ich” sound [ç])
How do I type ö if I don’t have a German keyboard?
- Use oe as a substitute: höflich → hoeflich (acceptable when umlauts aren’t available).
- Or use keyboard shortcuts (e.g., on many systems Alt/Option + u then o, or hold-for-accents on mobile).
Can I use particles like mal or doch with this imperative?
Yes, they change tone:
- Sei doch höflich. (Come on, be polite.)
- Sei mal höflich. (Be polite for once / just be polite.) Combining with bitte is common: Sei doch bitte mal höflich. Tone ranges from cajoling to scolding depending on context and intonation.
What are more diplomatic ways to say this to an adult?
- Ich möchte Sie bitten, höflich zu sein. (very polite)
- Könnten wir bitte höflich bleiben? (inclusive, de-escalating)
- Bitte achten Sie auf den Ton. / Bitte bleiben Sie sachlich. (indirect, maintains face) Avoid blunt commands to adults unless the situation requires it.
Is Bitte seien höflich correct?
Not by itself. You must include the subject:
- Bitte seid höflich. (ihr)
- Bitte seien Sie höflich. (Sie)
- Bitte seien wir höflich. (wir; formal style) Without Sie/ihr/wir, seien is incomplete.
What’s the difference between Sei höflich and Benimm dich/Verhalte dich höflich?
- Sei höflich: targets your state/attitude (be polite).
- Benimm dich höflich / Verhalte dich höflich: focuses on behavior and actions (behave politely). Slightly more formal/explicit about conduct. You can also say: Bleib höflich (stay polite).
Can I compare höflich (more/most polite)?
Yes:
- Comparative: höflicher
- Superlative (adverbially): am höflichsten Examples: Sei bitte etwas höflicher. / Er hat am höflichsten reagiert. Noun: die Höflichkeit (politeness). Example: Vielen Dank für Ihre Höflichkeit.
Does verb-first word order matter here?
In imperatives, the verb normally comes first: Sei höflich.
If you start with Bitte, the imperative verb still immediately follows: Bitte sei höflich. Both are correct and idiomatic.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GermanMaster German — from Bitte sei höflich to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions