Herr
/hɛr/
The German equivalent of the English phrase "Mr" is Herr.
Herr is a title used before the surname or full name of a man. In German, Herr is almost always used in conjunction with a surname, whereas in English it is common to see 'Mr.' used alone in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the title can change depending on its role in a sentence. While Herr is the standard form, it changes to Herrn when used as an object in the accusative or dative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛr/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to add the -n ending (Herrn) when the title is the direct or indirect object of a sentence.
Did you know?
- The title Herr is actually a comparative adjective that originally meant 'more grey-haired' or 'more venerable' than others.
- In religious contexts, Herr is used as the translation for 'Lord' when referring to God. This gives the word a sacred weight that the English 'Mr' entirely lacks.
- The word Herr can also be used as a noun meaning 'gentleman' or 'lord'. In this context, it describes a person's character or social status rather than acting as a title.
Examples in context
- Herr Jung ist alt.Mr. Young is old.This sentence shows how to use Herr with a surname to describe someone.Tatoeba #2483332 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2483259 by Hybrid
- Wer ist Herr Owen?Who is Mr. Owen?This sentence uses Herr to ask for the identity of a person.Tatoeba #2940078 by Manfredo, translation #724407 by CN
- Das ist Herr Pedro.This is Mr. Pedro.This sentence uses Herr to introduce someone.Tatoeba #2372496 by Espi, translation #2036348 by Dejo
- Herr Schmidt ist mein Vorgesetzter.Mr. Schmidt is my supervisor.
- Guten Morgen, Herr Müller. Wie geht es Ihnen?Good morning, Mr. Müller. How are you today?
- 861 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Felix are talking about their new teacher at school.
- FelixIst das Herr Schmidt?Is that Mr. Schmidt?
- LauraJa, das ist Herr Schmidt.Yes, that is Mr. Schmidt.
- FelixIst er nett?Is he nice?
- LauraJa, Herr Schmidt ist sehr nett.Yes, Mr. Schmidt is very nice.
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: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
