Herr und Frau
/hɛr ʊnt fʁaʊ̯/word by word
The English phrase "mr. And mrs." is translated into German as Herr und Frau.
In German, the titles Herr and Frau serve as the equivalents of "Mr." and "Mrs." when addressing or referring to a couple. If a couple shares the same last name, you can address them collectively as Herr und Frau followed by that last name. If the couple has different last names, you use Herr followed by the husband's last name and Frau followed by the wife's last name.
Meaning: Title of a married couple (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When the phrase acts as the direct object of a sentence in the accusative case, Herr changes to Herrn.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛr ʊnt fʁaʊ̯/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using Fräulein to refer to an unmarried woman. In modern German, Frau is the standard and polite way to address all adult women regardless of their marital status.
Did you know?
- The word Frau is a cognate of the Old Norse word freyja, the name of the goddess of love and fertility.
Examples in context
- Herr und Frau Schmidt kommen heute.Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are coming today.
- Dort sitzen Herr und Frau Müller.Mr. and Mrs. Müller are sitting there.
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are checking a guest list for a party.
- JulianSind Herr und Frau Meyer schon hier?Are Mr. and Mrs. Meyer already here?
- HannahNein, sie kommen erst in einer Stunde.No, they are not coming for another hour.
- JulianIch muss die Karten für Herr und Frau Meyer finden.I need to find the cards for Mr. and Mrs. Meyer.
- HannahSie liegen dort auf dem Tisch, Julian.They are lying there on the table, Julian.
