In this workshop you will practice formal German email greetings. You will learn how to greet a man, a woman, and a group of unknown readers. You will also see how to include a title such as Dr. Each recorded example comes from a short recording. Listen, repeat, and then choose or write the correct greeting in the tasks. This is active practice, so speak the lines out loud and check your answers after each task.
Greeting one person formally
A formal German email often starts with a greeting line and a comma. When you write to a man, use his last name. The recording «Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,» means "Dear Mr. Schmidt." Notice the word "Herr" before the last name. When you write to a woman, use "Frau" and her last name. The recording «Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,» means "Dear Ms. Müller." In German, "Frau" is used for all adult women. After the comma, the next line usually starts with a lowercase letter. Say both greetings aloud and copy the punctuation exactly.
Greeting a group or unknown reader
Sometimes you do not know the name of the person who will read your email. You may write to a company or to a team. In that case, use a plural greeting. The recording «Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,» means "Dear Sir or Madam" or "Dear Ladies and Gentlemen." It is the standard formal greeting for unknown recipients. Use it when you cannot name a specific person. This greeting also ends with a comma, and the next line begins with a lowercase letter.
Adding a title such as Dr.
If the person has an academic title, include it before the last name. The phrase list gives the formal writing model «Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber,» meaning "Dear Dr. Weber." The title "Dr." comes after "Herr" and before the last name. If a person has more than one title, use only the highest one. The recorded dialogue line is «Guten Tag Herr Dr. Weber,» meaning "Good day Dr. Weber." This is a little less formal than "Sehr geehrter," but it is still polite. Listen to the recorded line and repeat it, then compare it with the formal writing model.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,
Dear Mr. Schmidt,
zair guh-AIR-tuh hair shmit
Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,
Dear Ms. Müller,
zair guh-AIR-tuh frow MUE-ler
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
Dear Sir or Madam, / Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
zair guh-AIR-tuh DAH-mun oont HAIR-ren
Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber,
Dear Dr. Weber,
zair guh-AIR-tuh hair dok-TOR VAY-ber
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,
Dear Mr. Schmidt,Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,
Dear Ms. Müller,Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
Dear Sir or Madam,Guten Tag Herr Dr. Weber,
Good day Dr. Weber,Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: choose the right greeting
Imagine you are writing a short email. You need to choose the correct greeting line for each situation. Read the situation, then say the greeting aloud. Use the recordings as your model.
Your task: Situation 1: You are writing to a man named Herr Schmidt. Which greeting do you use? Say it aloud. Situation 2: You are writing to a woman named Frau Müller. Which greeting do you use? Say it aloud. Situation 3: You are writing to a company, and you do not know the reader's name. Which greeting do you use? Say it aloud.
Reply comprehension: match the greeting to the reader
In this task you will hear or read a greeting and decide who it is for. This helps you understand the difference between singular and plural forms.
Your task: Read each greeting below and choose the correct reader: a man, a woman, or a group of unknown people. Greeting A: «Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,». Greeting B: «Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,». Greeting C: «Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,». Say your choice aloud for each one.
Recall and write: use the correct roles
Now you will write the greetings from memory. Imagine you are sending three short emails. Use the correct role for each one.
Your task: Write the greeting line for each email. Email 1: to a man named Herr Schmidt. Email 2: to a woman named Frau Müller. Email 3: to a company with unknown readers. After writing, say each line aloud.
Common questions
Can I use "Sehr geehrte" for both men and women?
The ending changes. For a man, use "Sehr geehrter" as in «Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt,». For a woman, use "Sehr geehrte" as in «Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,». For a group, use "Sehr geehrte" as in «Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,». Listen to the recordings and repeat the endings.
What should I write after the comma in a formal greeting?
After the comma, the next line usually starts with a lowercase letter. This is a common convention in formal German emails. The recordings show the greeting line only, so practice the comma and then continue with a lowercase word in your own writing.
Sources and further reading
- german: formal email greetingsChecked September 2026
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