herr
/ˈhɛr/common gender
The Swedish word for "mister" is herr.
herr is used as a title for an adult male.
Meaning: title of adult male (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
herr is a formal and dated title.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhɛr/
Did you know?
- In Sweden, the concept of 'du-reformen' in the 1960s stripped away most formal titles, making the use of 'herr' feel even more out of place than it does in English.
- The term herre can be used in the expression herr gud, which functions as an exclamation like 'good heavens' or 'dear lord'.
- The word 'herr' is actually a shortened version of the older word 'herre', which means 'lord' or 'master'.
Examples in context
- Herr AndersonMr. Anderson
- Herr JohanssonMr. Johansson
- Herr SvenssonMr. Svensson
- God morgon, herr Andersson.Good morning, Mr. Andersson.
Example conversation
Alice is greeting a guest at a formal event.
- AliceVälkommen hit, herr Lucas.Welcome here, Mr. Lucas.
- LucasTack så mycket, Alice.Thank you very much, Alice.
- AliceFölj mig till bordet, herr Lucas.Follow me to the table, Mr. Lucas.
- LucasDet gör jag gärna.I would love to.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mister” translations and entries herr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries herr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
