"Frau" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Frauen. In English, Frau means "woman" or "wife" — and it's also the standard form of address ("Mrs./Ms.")."Die Frau" is one of the very first words you'll learn in German — essential A1 vocabulary that appears in every textbook, conversation, and form. It has a double meaning: "woman" (general) and "wife" (in context, e.g. "meine Frau" = my wife). It's also the counterpart to der Mann (man/husband). Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz. For more family vocabulary, check out the A1 Family Words list.
Gender rule: Female persons are generally feminine in German. "Frau" is also the root of the diminutive das Fräulein (miss/young woman), which is neuter because the suffix -lein overrides natural gender. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Frau — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Frau | die Frauen |
| Genitive | der Frau | der Frauen |
| Dative | der Frau | den Frauen |
| Accusative | die Frau | die Frauen |
Example Sentences with Frau
Die Frau arbeitet als Ärztin.
(The woman works as a doctor.) — Nominative
Ich kenne die Frau vom Sprachkurs.
(I know the woman from the language course.) — Accusative
Er gibt der Frau seinen Platz.
(He gives the woman his seat.) — Dative
Das Auto der Frau steht im Parkhaus.
(The woman's car is in the parking garage.) — Genitive
Die Frauen treffen sich jeden Freitag zum Kaffee.
(The women meet every Friday for coffee.) — Nominative Plural
Der Chef dankt den Frauen für ihre Arbeit.
(The boss thanks the women for their work.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Mann (man/husband), das Fräulein (miss — neuter because of -lein suffix, now considered outdated), weiblich (female — adjective), die Weiblichkeit (femininity), fraulich (womanly — adjective)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Ehefrau (wife — formal), die Hausfrau (housewife), die Geschäftsfrau (businesswoman), der Frauenarzt (gynecologist), die Frauenrechte (women's rights — plural)
Common Mistake with Frau
❌ Common mistake: Ich helfe des Fraus.
✅ Correct: Ich helfe der Frau.
💡 Why: "Helfen" requires a dative object. Feminine nouns never add -s in the genitive or dative — only the article changes. The dative of "die Frau" is der Frau (not "des Fraus"). The -s ending in the genitive only applies to masculine and neuter nouns (des Vaters, des Kindes).
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Frau spricht drei Sprachen.
- A) Der
- B) Die
- C) Das
Check Answer
"Die Frau" — Female persons are generally feminine in German. In the nominative, the article is die.
2. Er schenkt ___ Frau Blumen zum Jahrestag.
- A) die Frau
- B) der Frau
- C) den Frau
Check Answer
"Schenken" requires a dative object (to whom?). Feminine dative = der: der Frau. The noun itself doesn't change.
3. Er hat eine nett___ Frau kennengelernt.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the accusative feminine, the adjective ending is -e: eine nette Frau. Feminine accusative = feminine nominative — both use -e after ein/eine.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and common feminine nouns.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Mann — the man / the husband
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Vater — the father
- die Schwester — the sister
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Tochter — the daughter
- der Sohn — the son
- das Mädchen — the girl
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Frau? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and common feminine nouns. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Frau masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Frau is feminine — the correct article is die. Female persons are generally feminine in German. Note that the diminutive das Fräulein (miss) is neuter because the -lein suffix overrides natural gender — the same rule that makes das Mädchen neuter. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Frau?
The plural is die Frauen — add -en. No Umlaut is needed. This -en plural is very common for feminine nouns: die Schwester → die Schwestern, die Zeitung → die Zeitungen, die Frau → die Frauen.
Does Frau mean woman or wife?
Both. "Die Frau" means "the woman" in general. But when used with a possessive pronoun, it means "wife": meine Frau (my wife), seine Frau (his wife). Context makes the meaning clear. The more formal word for "wife" is die Ehefrau (literally "marriage woman"). The same dual meaning exists for der Mann — it means both "man" and "husband."
Is Fräulein still used in German?
Das Fräulein (miss/young woman) is largely outdated and considered inappropriate in modern German. Since 1972, German authorities officially use Frau for all women regardless of marital status — similar to "Ms." in English. You may still hear "Fräulein" in old films or books, but using it today can be seen as patronizing. Grammatically, it's neuter (das) because the -lein suffix always makes a noun neuter.
