"Das Mädchen spielt mit Ihnen."

[alexxflower]

..How many form of "you " exist in german language?' Du, Ihr, Ihnen, Sie....are there more?

[jmilanezi]

Why not "with them"?

[christian]

It can't be "with them" because "Ihnen" is capitalised.

• mit Ihnen = with you (formal)

• mit ihnen = with them

[jmkfrommn]

It appears that Sie can be a subject and an object. Is Ihnen only an object? What is the difference between them in the object position?

[christian]

• The dative of "Sie" (formal you) is "Ihnen". All forms of the formal you are always capitalised.

• The accusative of "Sie" (formal you) is "Sie".

• The dative of "sie" (they) is "ihnen".

• The accusative of "sie" (she) is "sie".

http://german.about.com/library/blcase_sum2.htm

[jmkfrommn]

Yes, but in one sentence we had "Ich mag Sie", and in the other we had the sentence above we have "Dad Madchen speilt mit Ihnen. When do we choose Sie and when Ihnen. It appears that the first is Accusative and the second is Dative but I don't know how to choose which one to use as they both appear to be direct objects. Is there a way of knowing which to choose?

[christian]

"mögen" takes the accusative case. "mit" takes the dative case.

[jmkfrommn]

Ahhh, there's the clue! Thanks.

[AgenTsi]

Here is a list of dative prepositions with English translations: http://german.about.com/library/blcase_dat2.htm

And a copy-paste for the lazy: Aus, Ausser, Bei, Gegenueber, Mit, Nach, Seit, Von, Zu.

[daybeed]

Is this "you" plural?

[christian]

There's only one formal you. It doesn't make a distinction between singular and plural.