Frau (Noun)
Meaning
A German courtesy title or form of address for an adult woman.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The flight attendant addressed the passenger with "Guten Tag, Frau" as she offered her a drink.
- My friend's mother is now a widow, so we respectfully call her Frau Müller from now on.
- The teacher asked the students to refer to her as Frau Schmidt, not simply Mrs. Schmidt.
- When speaking to an older woman you don't know very well, it's polite to use "Frau" followed by her surname.
- In formal writing, the salutation "Sehr geehrte Frau" is used to begin a letter to an unknown female recipient.