I have to write a slogan in german that is a command using the four different types of command forms (du, ihr, wir, Sie), and I need help figuring out how to write them. The slogan I am using is "Get your own box." from cheez-its. How would I write them in German?
I tried to get some help from my native German-speaking wife but she made some statements that make no sense to me. She has not lived in Germany for about 55 years, and idiomatic expressions have changed, and new words added, since she lived there. She did not even know the most suitable word for "box". Apparently, "die Box" is now commonly accepted in German. More and more English words are creeping into the language.
Another controversial remark she made is that the "Sie" form of address would not be used with someone eating Cheez-its out of your box. "Du" would be used instead for people whom you find annoying.
The final comment that makes no sense to me is that one would use a reflexive compound verb (like sich nehmen) with "ihr" but a nonreflexive verb (nehmen) with "du".
Thus for example, she claims that suitable translations would be:
Nimm dir dein eigene Box! oder
Nehnt ihr euch eure eigene Box!
For the wir form, what you are actually saying is "Let's get our own box!
which might be something like:
Lassen wir unsere eigene Box nehmen!
Forget about the Sie form. You can probably figure out something.
It sure is simpler in English!
Perhaps Reiny can help with this.
To write the slogan "Get your own box" using the four different command forms in German, you would use the following variations:
1. Du form: Hol dir deine eigene Schachtel! (literally: "Get yourself your own box!")
- Explanation: In the informal "du" form, you use the imperative form of the verb "holen" (to get) with the reflexive pronoun "dir" (yourself) and the possessive pronoun "deine" (your).
2. Ihr form: Holt euch eure eigene Schachtel! (literally: "Get yourselves your own box!")
- Explanation: In the informal "ihr" form, you use the imperative form of the verb "holen" (to get) with the reflexive pronoun "euch" (yourselves) and the possessive pronoun "eure" (your).
3. Wir form: Holen wir uns unsere eigene Schachtel! (literally: "Let's get ourselves our own box!")
- Explanation: In the inclusive "wir" form, you use the imperative form of the verb "holen" (to get) with the reflexive pronoun "uns" (ourselves) and the possessive pronoun "unsere" (our).
4. Sie form: Holen Sie sich Ihre eigene Schachtel! (literally: "Get yourself your own box!")
- Explanation: In the formal "Sie" form, you use the imperative form of the verb "holen" (to get) with the reflexive pronoun "sich" (yourself) and the possessive pronoun "Ihre" (your).
In all cases, the verb "holen" is used in its imperative form, followed by the appropriate reflexive pronoun and possessive pronoun.