Herr
/hɛr/
In German, Herr is a title used before the surname of a man.
Herr is a common term used in German to address a gentleman or to say "Mr."
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Herr follows a strong declension, meaning its ending changes based on its grammatical case. While Herr is the standard form, Herrn is used in the accusative, dative and genitive cases, such as in the phrase Ich gebe es dem Herrn. The plural form of Herr is Herren, which translates to "Lords" or "Gentlemen".
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛr/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use Herr as a direct equivalent to "Mr." when used alone. However, in German, it must be followed by a surname, such as Herr Schmidt, to function as a title.
Did you know?
- The word Herr originally meant 'grey-haired' or 'venerable'. It was a translation of the Latin word 'senior', which refers to an elder person.
- In historical contexts or religious texts, der Herr refers specifically to 'the Lord' (God), shifting the word from a social title to a divine one.
- The German word for 'to rule', herrschen, shares its historical roots with the title Herr, reflecting the connection between being a 'lord' and exercising power.
Examples in context
- Jawohl, Herr Oberst!Yes, sir! (Because Herr already is a respectful form of address, adding a term like sir is unnecessary.)This sentence demonstrates how using Herr provides sufficient respect, making additional terms like "sir" unnecessary.
- Herr Schmidt, ich freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen.Mr. Schmidt, I'm pleased to meet you.
- Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Mayer, haben Sie einen Termin?Excuse me, Mr. Mayer, do you have an appointment?
- Herr Müller, haben Sie einen Moment Zeit?Mr. Müller, do you have a moment?
- Guten Tag, Herr Schmidt.Good day, Mr. Schmidt.
- Darf ich vorstellen? Das ist Herr Weber.May I introduce him? This is Mr. Weber.
Example conversation
Lukas is introducing a new colleague to Laura at the office.
- LukasLaura, das ist Herr Weber.Laura, this is Mr. Weber.
- LauraSehr angenehm, Herr Weber.Very nice to meet you, Mr. Weber.
- LukasEr ist unser neuer Kollege.He is our new colleague.
- LauraHerzlich willkommen im Team!Welcome to the team!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Herr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Herr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
