Fräulein

See also: fraulein and Fraulein

German

Etymology

Middle High German vrouwelīn (“mistress, young unmarried noblewoman”), equivalent to Frau +‎ -lein

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈfʁɔʏ̯laɪ̯n/ (standard)
  • IPA(key): /ˈfʁɔlaɪ̯n/ (colloquially, especially northern and central Germany)
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯n

Noun

Fräulein n (genitive Fräuleins, plural Fräulein or Fräuleins)

  1. Diminutive of Frau (but not freely applicable)
  2. (dated, address for an unmarried woman) miss
    Guten Morgen, Fräulein Schmitz!
    Good morning, Miss Schmitz!
  3. miss, young woman (especially a shop assistant)
    Würden Sie mir kurz helfen, junges Fräulein!
    Would you help me please, miss!
  4. young lady, missy (said jokingly or rebukingly to a little girl)
    So, jetzt reicht's aber, Fräulein!
    All right, that's enough, young lady!

Usage notes
  • Fräulein as a formal address for an unmarried woman is now uncommon and considered disrespectful and sexist by some. Frau is the normal address for all women.
  • As an informal address for a girl or young woman whose name one does not know, particularly a shop assistant, the word is still fairly common, though chiefly restricted to older speakers. It is advisable to avoid it in order to be on the safe side.

Declension
Declension of Fräulein
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Fräulein die Fräulein
genitive eines des Fräuleins der Fräulein
dative einem dem Fräulein den Fräulein
accusative ein das Fräulein die Fräulein

Descendants

Further reading
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