German Email Greetings: How to Write 'Dear Mr. Smith' and Other Formal Openings
Learn to open formal German emails with correct titles, last names, and punctuation. Master 'Sehr geehrte' forms for business and official correspondence.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Writing a formal email in German begins with the right greeting. Unlike English, German formal salutations rely on specific titles and last names, and they use a comma followed by a lowercase letter to start the message. This lesson teaches you how to address a single recipient, a woman, a man, or multiple people, using standard contemporary German. You will learn the exact phrases, their pronunciation, and when to use each one. By the end, you will be able to open a professional email confidently and correctly.
By the end, you can…
- write a formal email greeting to a man using his last name.
- write a formal email greeting to a woman using her last name.
- address multiple recipients formally in an email.
- use the correct punctuation and capitalization after a formal greeting.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,
Dear Mr. Schmidt,
zair guh-AIR-tuh hair shmit
Standard formal greeting for a man. Use the last name only. The comma is followed by a lowercase letter on the next line.
Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,
Dear Ms. Müller,
zair guh-AIR-tuh frow MUE-ler
Standard formal greeting for a woman. 'Frau' is used for all adult women, married or not. Do not use 'Fräulein'.
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
Dear Sir or Madam, / Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
zair guh-AIR-tuh DAH-mun oont HAIR-ren
Use when writing to a company or unknown recipient. It is the standard plural formal greeting.
Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber,
Dear Dr. Weber,
zair guh-AIR-tuh hair dok-TOR VAY-ber
Include academic titles like 'Dr.' before the last name. For multiple titles, use only the highest.
Hallo Herr Schmidt,
Hello Mr. Schmidt,
HAH-loh hair shmit
Less formal but increasingly common in workplace emails. Use only if you have an established professional relationship.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Formal German greetings follow a fixed pattern: 'Sehr geehrter' for a man, 'Sehr geehrte' for a woman, plus the title and last name. The adjective ending changes: 'geehrter' with 'Herr' (masculine), 'geehrte' with 'Frau' (feminine). For plural, use 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren'. Examples: 'Sehr geehrter Herr Bauer,' / 'Sehr geehrte Frau Bauer,' / 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,'. Never use first names with 'Sehr geehrte'. After the comma, start the next line with a lowercase letter, e.g., 'vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht.'
When to use it
Use 'Sehr geehrte...' in business, official, or first-contact emails. It is safe and respectful. If you have exchanged several emails and the tone is friendly, you may switch to 'Hallo Herr/Frau...' or 'Guten Tag Herr/Frau...'. 'Guten Tag' is neutral and slightly less stiff than 'Sehr geehrte'. For example, after a reply, you might write 'Guten Tag Frau Klein,'. Avoid 'Hi' or 'Hey' in formal contexts. In Austria and Switzerland, 'Sehr geehrte' is also standard; in spoken greetings, regional forms like 'Grüß Gott' (Austria and southern Germany) or 'Grüezi' (Switzerland) may appear, but for email, stick to 'Sehr geehrte'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,
Dear Mr. Schmidt,zair guh-AIR-tuh hair shmitSehr geehrte Frau Müller,
Dear Ms. Müller,zair guh-AIR-tuh frow MUE-lerSehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
Dear Sir or Madam,zair guh-AIR-tuh DAH-mun oont HAIR-renGuten Tag Herr Dr. Weber,
Good day Dr. Weber,GOO-ten tahk hair dok-TOR VAY-berA little context goes a long way
German formal emails often use 'Sehr geehrte' even after several exchanges, unlike English where 'Dear' may shift to 'Hello' quickly. Using a first name without permission can seem intrusive. When in doubt, stay formal until the other person suggests a less formal greeting. In Austria, 'Sehr geehrte' is standard, but you may see 'Sehr geehrter Herr Mag. Huber' for a master's degree; in Switzerland, academic titles are also common. Always use the last name and correct title.
One thing to watch for
Writing 'Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt' without a comma, or capitalizing the first word of the next line.
Try this instead: Always put a comma after the greeting and start the next line with a lowercase letter, unless it is a noun or a name. For example: 'Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,' then 'vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail.' The word 'vielen' is lowercase.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you formally greet a woman named Anna Weber in an email?
Show a sample answer
Sehr geehrte Frau Weber,
Use 'Sehr geehrte' because 'Frau' is feminine, and use the last name only. 'Anna' is a first name and is not used in formal greetings.
2What is the correct formal greeting when you do not know the recipient's name?
Show a sample answer
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
This is the standard plural form for unknown recipients. The wording is fixed; you cannot say 'Sehr geehrte Herren' alone unless all recipients are male.
3After 'Sehr geehrter Herr Bauer,' how should you begin the next line?
Show a sample answer
With a lowercase letter, e.g., 'ich schreibe Ihnen wegen...'
German convention requires a lowercase letter after the comma of a greeting, unless the word is a noun or a proper name. So 'ich' is lowercase, but 'Ihnen' is capitalized as a formal pronoun.
For formal German emails, use 'Sehr geehrter Herr [Last Name],' for men, 'Sehr geehrte Frau [Last Name],' for women, and 'Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,' for unknown recipients. Always follow with a comma and a lowercase letter on the next line.
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