Written and spoken communication
Spelling, punctuation and basic written register
Capitalise the first word of a sentence and nouns, including noun uses of verbs: das Essen, beim Lernen. Preserve umlauts and ß in normal writing. A question needs a question mark. Put commas between main and subordinate clauses: Ich komme später, weil der Bus Verspätung hat.
Informal email greeting: Hallo Lea, or Liebe Lea,; formal: Sehr geehrte Frau Meier, or Sehr geehrter Herr Meier,; unknown recipient: Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,.
After a comma greeting, the next line begins lowercase unless the word is independently capitalised, such as Sie, a name or a noun.
A conventional closing such as Mit freundlichen Grüßen normally has no comma after it.
- Example
- Sehr geehrte Frau Meier,
ich kann heute leider nicht kommen.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Arun - English
- Dear Ms Meier,
unfortunately I cannot come today.
Kind regards
Arun - Hinglish
- Dear Ms Meier,
Afsoos, main aaj nahin aa sakta.
Kind regards
Arun
Liebe Lea, ... Liebe Grüße is informal. Sehr geehrte Frau Meier, ... Mit freundlichen Grüßen is formal.
Hinglish: Dost ko apnapan wala greeting/sign-off; office ya anjaan vyakti ko formal greeting/sign-off.