Dame
/ˈdaːmə/
The German word for lady is Dame.
The word Dame is a polite way to refer to a woman, equivalent to the English word "lady".
Meaning: polite: woman (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Dame is a polite way to say "lady", the standard and everyday German word for "woman" or "Mrs." is Frau.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Dame is used in formal or respectful contexts. In almost all other situations, you would use Frau.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Dame is feminine. Its plural form is Damen. In the genitive case, the article changes from die to der, as seen in der Dame (of the lady).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdaːmə/
Did you know?
- In German chess terminology, a lady or queen is called a Dame.
- The word Dame shares the same French and Latin roots as the English word 'dame', making them distant linguistic cousins.
- While 'lady' sounds very elegant, calling a stranger Dame in a casual setting might actually sound slightly outdated or overly theatrical, much like calling someone 'milady' in English.
Examples in context
- Wer ist diese Dame?Who is this lady?This example shows how to use Dame to ask about a specific woman.Tatoeba #782795 by Manfredo, translation #782798 by Manfredo
- Kennt die Dame Sie?Does the lady know you?This example shows how to use Dame to ask if she knows a specific person.Tatoeba #5760141 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7770277 by sharris123
- Kennt die Dame euch?Does that lady know you?This example shows how to use Dame to ask if she knows a group of people.Tatoeba #5760142 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10022129 by sundown
- 160 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are watching people in a park.
- LukasSiehst du die Dame dort?Do you see the lady there?
- SarahJa, eine sehr elegante Dame.Yes, a very elegant lady.
- LukasSoll ich sie grüßen?Should I greet her?
- SarahNein, lass die Dame in Ruhe.No, leave the lady alone.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Dame, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
