herr
masculine
The Norwegian term for "mr." is herr.
herr is a formal title used before a surname, functioning similarly to "Mr." in English.
Meaning: abbreviation of mister (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a title before a name, herr is indeclinable, meaning it does not change its form.
When do people say it?
While herr is the direct equivalent of "Mr.", modern Norwegian culture typically avoids using such titles. Unless the setting is extremely formal or old-fashioned, people generally address men by their names without a title.
Did you know?
- In Norwegian, the word herr is used to denote a men's room or toilet, often seen on signage as herr or herretoalett.
- Because Norway is so informal, using herr in a business meeting might actually signal that you are being sarcastic or mockingly formal.
- Despite its use as 'Mr.', the word herr is also the root of herre, which can mean 'lord' or 'master' in a religious or feudal context.
Examples in context
- Herr Olsen er en flott lærer.Mr. Olsen is a great teacher.
- Er det herr Olsen som ringer?Is it Mr. Olsen who is calling?
- Jeg må snakke med herr Berg.I must speak with Mr. Berg.
- Hils herr Johansen fra meg.Say hello to Mr. Johansen for me.
Example conversation
Emma is introducing Kristoffer to a new client.
- EmmaDette er herr Jensen.This is Mr. Jensen.
- KristofferHyggelig å møte deg.Nice to meet you.
- EmmaKristoffer er vår nye konsulent.Kristoffer is our new consultant.
- KristofferVelkommen til oss, Kristoffer.Welcome to us, Kristoffer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mr.” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
