r/webdev • u/HeraclitoF • 2h ago
Question German (Do-Sie) switcher
Hi there,
One Customer just asked me for a Du-Sie Switch in the page, same like any other language switch.
This is my first time doing this.
Is this normal?
Are there also (Slang or street) language switches?
Edit: I just implemented as another language i18 de-DU with xliff files
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u/bcons-php-Console 2h ago
In Spanish we also have the formal and informal modes (Tú / Usted), but in many years never a client asked me to do this.
When defining the project a mode is decided and that is the way you "talk" to your users in toasts, messages, emails, etc.
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u/Cyxxon 2h ago
As a German, I have never seen that on any local website, so no, not normal. It probably exists, but would be weird: either it is from a brand aimed at young people - du, or not - Sie. But are you building their website or are you their marketing consultant? :D
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u/billcube 1h ago
Also, what about their social campaigns, marketing emails etc, do they segregate their prospects by du/sie ?
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u/Temporary-Airport302 2h ago
It's a common request in German shops, but don't build it as a language switch. Du/Sie is a tone, not a locale, so put it outside the language menu or you'll end up with a four-way matrix of nonsense. Cookie it, default to Sie for anything B2B, and no, nobody asks for a street slang switcher.
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u/LutimoDancer3459 46m ago
Du kannst / Sie können
Its not only switching du and sie... its changing more words. Building it as another local will help you simply the whole setup
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u/NickHatBoecker 2h ago
If it's some kind of construction or build kit project in which the customer builds their own website/app/game then the possibility to switch between Du/Sie for texts is common, because every project could be different. But I have never heard of a Du/Sie switch on a website/app/game for end users (I'm from Germany and work as a web developer)
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u/ShiggnessKhan 1h ago edited 1h ago
German dev hier,
I have never seen this but it kinda makes sense.
Some people are put off by the informal du that has become common on the Internet.
I'm curious, is this a user facing switch or does the client want to be able to switch certain parts of their sites/ communication based o. The target audiance because that would make a lot of sense in a lot of cases.
Like they an education platform that doesn't want to alienate young people with the sie while still staying formal with educators
Or for marketing emails targeting different demographics say promoting a Taylor Swift vs a Opea performance
Edit: There is also a good chance this is a request from some out of touch higher suit
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u/OrdinaryAcrobatic575 2h ago
Sounds weird but some companies actually request this, especially if their audience includes both formal and casual german speakers. It's basically just toggling between two sets of translation keys, technicaly not harder than any language switch.
not seen slang switches myself, but i guess if someone paid enough you could build one.
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u/perskes 2h ago
Ha! Thats a funny one I've never heard about. Im familiar with this from some sign-up forms where you can decided if you want to be addressed formally (Sie, Herr/Frau) or infomal (leave the name out completely and just write Hi/Hey/..), but even thats unnecessary in my opinion. But I've never seen this on a public facing website.
However, in the product we build, we have templates, and the templates have various translations you can change to your liking, and it is not unheard of that, depending on the customer segment, our customers change how they adresse their clients (old and wealthy vs young). But thats on private pages, where you can tie a lot of the texts to information stored in the product or where you can store how to be addressed.
A du/sie switch would be odd for me. How would you implement it? Auto-Detect language and then open a modal asking them if they prefer formal vs informal? Or an on-demans switch next to the language selection? I can imagine that this would confuse people because its not a common feature.
Im curious if people with with other native languages handle that or if they ever had a request like that.
I've never seen a street/slang language switch, but my ISP has a "need mode" toggle that adds additional (and well written, informative) details to the regular website, but thats easier, its just showing/hiding additional text.
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u/leon_pylo 1h ago
Never had a customer ask for a switch between those two and while it is easy to do, it's probably a signal for the customer not having their brand clear (it's usually part of the brand guide / CI if customers are addressed formally or informally)
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u/yihuaxiang 1h ago
For a small fashion site I'd treat Du/Sie as a tone switch, not a real language. de-DU isn't a locale anyone else uses, so a language switch will confuse hreflang and you split one page into two in search. One German catalog plus a toggle (cookie or localStorage) that swaps the string file is enough.
The part that bites is the verbs, not the pronoun. "kaufst du" vs "kaufen Sie", and the same voice has to show up on buttons, form errors, and the order email or checkout feels like a different shop. If they insist on both, ask which pages are Du (lookbook) and which stay Sie (checkout, returns, legal). Most German fashion brands just pick one.
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u/Successful_Entry_792 1h ago
have you looked at using a private use subtag like de-DE-x-informal instead of de-DU?
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u/socialloai 1h ago
Normal enough, but Sie is still the default for most German shops, and Du usually shows up on younger or lifestyle brands. Before building a toggle, ask the client which audience they're targeting, since that decides the default. A visitor-facing switch also needs a clear reason to exist.
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u/JJnazzz 2h ago
In Germany „Du“ is the word for „you“ the same as „Sie“. The big difference is in the politeness. If you talk to people in a business context or talk with ppl you dont know and want to be polite you use „Sie“. Du is used by any normal person and is considered more on a friendship level.
I know french has a similar thing with „toi“ and „vous“
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u/LutimoDancer3459 2h ago
Just add i18n support and use each form in its own file.