Breakdown of Bitte sprich leise, während das Baby schläft.
schlafen
to sleep
bitte
please
während
while
sprechen
to speak
Questions & Answers about Bitte sprich leise, während das Baby schläft.
Why is sprich used instead of sprichst or sprechen?
Sprich is the imperative (command) form for du (informal you) from sprechen.
- du sprichst = you speak (statement)
- sprich! = speak! (command)
- sprechen Sie! = speak! (formal command)
Is this sentence informal or formal? How would it change for Sie?
It’s informal because of sprich (du-imperative). For formal Sie, you’d say:
Bitte sprechen Sie leise, während das Baby schläft.
(Verb becomes sprechen, and Sie is required.)
What exactly does bitte do here, and where can it go?
Bitte softens the command and makes it polite: please. Common placements include:
- Bitte sprich leise … (very common)
- Sprich bitte leise … (also common)
- Sprich leise, bitte … (possible, a bit more emphatic)
Why is leise not changed to match anything (no ending)?