der Herr
Mr.; sir; gentleman
Means 'Mr.' as a title before a man's last name, or 'gentleman' when referring to a man politely. It is also used as a formal address meaning 'sir'. In plural, 'die Herren' can mean 'gentlemen' or 'men' in formal contexts.
Heard in real German videos
Lines where Herr was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Guten Abend, Herr Professor Korte.Good evening, Professor Korte.
- Der Rasen sieht wunderbar aus, Herr Bulle.The lawn looks wonderful, Mr. Bull.
- Oh ja, mein Herr, hier bitte.Oh yes, sir, here you go.
Example sentences
- Guten Morgen, Herr Schmidt.Good morning, Mr. Schmidt.
- Der Herr dort drüben ist mein Chef.The gentleman over there is my boss.
- Meine Damen und Herren, herzlich willkommen.Ladies and gentlemen, welcome.
- Kann ich Ihnen helfen, mein Herr?Can I help you, sir?
Grammar
| Gender | masculine |
|---|---|
| Plural | die Herren |
| Genitive | des Herrn / des Herren |
| Declension | Weak noun: -n in accusative, dative, genitive singular (Herrn) |
In the singular, Herr takes -n in all cases except nominative: ich sehe Herrn Müller, ich gebe Herrn Müller das Buch.
Common phrases
- mein Herrsir (formal address)
- die Herrengentlemen; men (formal)
- Herr des Hausesmaster of the house
- junger Herryoung gentleman
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often forget to add the -n ending in the accusative and dative cases: 'Ich sehe Herr Müller' is wrong; it must be 'Ich sehe Herrn Müller'.
Don’t confuse it with
- der Mann — Mann means 'man' in a general sense, while Herr is a polite or formal term for a gentleman or used as a title.
Questions learners ask
How do you address a man formally in German?
Use 'Herr' followed by the last name, e.g., 'Herr Müller'. If you don't know the name, you can say 'mein Herr' (sir).
What is the plural of 'der Herr'?
The plural is 'die Herren'. It is used for 'gentlemen' or in formal address: 'Meine Damen und Herren'.
Why does 'Herr' sometimes become 'Herrn'?
Herr is a weak noun, so it takes -n in all cases except nominative singular: 'Ich sehe Herrn Müller' (accusative), 'Ich gebe Herrn Müller das Buch' (dative).