When to Capitalize Words in German: Essential Rules for Beginners

The Importance of Capitalization in German

In the German language, capitalization is an important part of correct spelling and grammar. Unlike English, where capitalization primarily applies to the first word of a sentence and proper nouns, German has a unique set of rules.

Nouns are Always Capitalized

One of the most fundamental rules in German capitalization is that all nouns are capitalized, regardless of their position in a sentence. For instance:

This rule applies to both common and proper nouns, meaning that not only names or places are capitalized but every single noun.

Capitalization in Titles

In German, titles of books, films, and other artistic works follow specific capitalization rules. Like in English, the first word of a title is capitalized, followed by all the nouns. For example, 'Der Herr der Ringe' ('The Lord of the Rings') illustrates this rule.

Capitalization After Colons and in Quoted Sentences

After colons and when beginning a new quoted sentence, the initial word is capitalized. For example, "Er sagte: 'Das ist mein Auto.'" means 'He said: "That is my car."' The same rule applies to starting new sentences after colons when the sentence is independently structured.

Days, Months, and Special Events

In German, the days of the week, months of the year, and names of holidays are capitalized. Examples include 'Montag' (Monday), 'Januar' (January), and 'Weihnachten' (Christmas). This contrasts with English where months and weekdays are also capitalized but holidays are capitalized in both languages.

Capitalizing 'Sie' for Formality

When using the formal address 'Sie' in German, meaning 'you', it is always capitalized, irrespective of where it appears in a sentence. This capitalization rule is crucial when addressing someone formally in writing.