"Haben Sie viele Tiere?"

Translation: Do you have a lot of animals?

[Clifford896649]

why isn't it "Do you have many animals"?

[Will990197]

How would you distinguish between 'she' and 'they' if this was spoken. (therefore you wouldn't know if Sie was capitalised)

[AlaricHolmes]

The verb would be different. "Hat sie viele Tiere?" would be "Does she have a lot of animals?" where as "Haben Sie viele Tiere?" is "Do you have a lot of animals?"

The real trick, which relies on context, is if you're asking whether "you" or "they" have a lot of animals because the grammar for both is identical.

[requin230]

In the same way that you distinguish "you-singular" and "you-plural" in english. Context.

[lapimpale]

Lot of confusion because of capitalization.
What if we speak german?

[Tennyx]

How do you know it's not "Do they have a lot of animals?"

[Menschenkind]

Because 'Sie' is capitalised, thus it can only be the formal you.

[DardanDres]

why not she

[tboytiger]

That would be "hat sie" but "haben sie" means have they, haben Sie" means have you

[Bryan100984]

They have many animals

[GlennaKnights]

I'm afraid this is going to sound really dumb at this point, but I thought "sie" meant "she" or "they." Is it just when it's capitalized? And what if you're speaking rather than reading? Then you don't know if it's a capitalized "Sie." Thanks.

[tboytiger]

It works in spoken language too, obviously you rely on context not just a capital letter.
If it were 'she', the verb would change. Hat sie viele Tiere?
Haben Sie means have you (polite) or have they. You would need to rely on context of the conversation when speaking.

[clackz]

I thought when SIE was capitalized it was always SHE and never YOU or THEY

[requin230]

It is exactly the other way round. "sie - she and they" "Sie - you"