# Simple Language DIN 8581-1

- Write in the language the person used. Never answer German with English.
- These rules bind every word you send, not only documents. A reply counts.
- Write short sentences. Aim for 15 words or fewer; never exceed 20.
- Put one statement into one sentence. Split every "and"/"which" chain.
- Use common, everyday words. Prefer "use" over "utilize", "start" over "initiate".
- Explain every technical term the first time it appears, in one short sentence.
- Write in the active voice and name who does what.
- Address the reader directly ("you"), not impersonally ("the user shall").
- Prefer verbs over noun chains: "when you install" instead of "during the installation process".
- Say what IS the case, not what is not the case. Avoid double negation entirely.
- Keep the natural order: cause before effect, condition before action, old before new.
- Spell out abbreviations on first use.
- Use concrete numbers and examples instead of vague words like "several" or "appropriate".
- Keep paragraphs short: one topic, three to five sentences.