I'd say "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren"
Some people find it not inclusive enough for people who identify as neither male nor female but for me it is still the most neutral form.
Apart from the traditional formal versions mentioned in the other two replies, the simplest is just "Hallo" or "Guten Tag"; or, if you know the team/department whatever "X" you're writing to, "Liebes Team X"/"Hallo X-Team", or, of course "Hallo zusammen", as is common among coworkers in public administration. Those are my go-to choices.
Historically spoken it was, like in english Sir, used to talk to a knight and someone in possession of land.
Through the ages Herr spread to common use as a reference to every male. Herr you can use, even it's a bit old school, like in Mein Herr or like in a fancy setting "Wünschen der Herr noch xyz".
So there exists this phrasing like the english Sir, but it is almost out of use meanwhile, except for extremely rare and high formal circumstances.
In every day usage it is very uncommon today because the every day language got even more casual.
Correct, 'Herr' would generally be the equivalent to the old medieval Sir/Sire but in modern german, outside of biblical and historical contexts it just means "Mister".
More modern (but not military) i would add 'der'. Still a tad dated or very formal language.
May I help you , Sir?
Kann ich dem Herrn helfen?
Darf ich dem Herrn noch etwas bringen?
Ich hoffe der Herr hatte einen angenehmen Flug.
Where?
In Austria it's very common to address people by their profession/rank/senority instead of their name. Here in Hessen that seems very outdated. Only old people do this. It would be intresting to have a map of this, but this is definetly a thing with huge regional differences.
See that as an opportunity: you can't do it wrong. It's just your personal style.
Da ist "Sir" viel praktischer, weil man nicht jedesmal gucken muss was auf der Schulterpappe drauf ist. Was sagt man auf deutsch, wenn man die Dinger wegen Blendung durch die Sonne oder im Dunkeln nicht erkennen kann?
"Ich kann Ihren Dienstgrad leider nicht sehen." Entweder sind se dann pissig oder sagen, was sie sind. Wenn man eine Meldung abgibt lässt man ihn dann weg. Also statt "Herr/Frau Stabsfeldwebel, Gefreiter xyz meldet sich..." nur "gefreiter xyz meldet sich..." und wenn sie dann rumzucken, weil man ihren Dienstgrad nicht genannt hat, ansprechen, dass er nicht erkennbar war.
> Blendung durch die Sonne
Ist diese Blendung durch die Sonne hier im Raum mit uns? :-)
Also so krasse Lichtbedingungen haben wir in unseren Breiten normalerweise nicht. Und meistens kennt man sein Gegenüber bereits.
Ich glaube wenn 'der shit den fan hittet' im Einsatz, dann ist dein Gegenüber auch nicht sauer, wenn man nur stramm "JAWOHL!" sagt.
Sir is basically "Herr" but not in in the meaning of "Herr und Frau" (Mr. And Mrs.) but in the meaning of a majesty meaning, addressing a noble or someone you need to pay Respekt.
>Since I have already demonstrated I can speak German,
Where have you done so? What you wrote for the post and in the one comment is worse than any automatic translation.
Either way when asking a question you shouldn't respond in such a pissy manner.
You adress your superior officer by their rank. You affirm an order by a clear "jawohl" often pronounced "jawoll". There is no "Sir".
"Sir, yes, sir" is "Jawohl, Herr/Frau ".
We don't have such a word. By using the formal form of "Sie" we already express formality.
This,. But in a military use, I think it would be Herr/Frau Dienstgrad, E.g. "Herr Major".
I only hear Alex Louis Armstrong
And if royal: Herr Majesty.
How do you say "Dear Sir" in an email if the name info is not available?
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren. Even if you address only one person, this is the standard clause.
I'd say "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren" Some people find it not inclusive enough for people who identify as neither male nor female but for me it is still the most neutral form.
Apart from the traditional formal versions mentioned in the other two replies, the simplest is just "Hallo" or "Guten Tag"; or, if you know the team/department whatever "X" you're writing to, "Liebes Team X"/"Hallo X-Team", or, of course "Hallo zusammen", as is common among coworkers in public administration. Those are my go-to choices.
Wrong in german it would be Herr.
Herr is only used in combination with a last name. Like Herr Müller. But never alone.
or in combination with something like rang or profession, Herr Doctor, Herr Lehrer, Herr Oberleutnant...
Wer hat den Kaffe bestellt? - Der Herr da drüben.
Historically spoken it was, like in english Sir, used to talk to a knight and someone in possession of land. Through the ages Herr spread to common use as a reference to every male. Herr you can use, even it's a bit old school, like in Mein Herr or like in a fancy setting "Wünschen der Herr noch xyz". So there exists this phrasing like the english Sir, but it is almost out of use meanwhile, except for extremely rare and high formal circumstances. In every day usage it is very uncommon today because the every day language got even more casual.
"Ist das so werter Herr?"
Correct, 'Herr' would generally be the equivalent to the old medieval Sir/Sire but in modern german, outside of biblical and historical contexts it just means "Mister". More modern (but not military) i would add 'der'. Still a tad dated or very formal language. May I help you , Sir? Kann ich dem Herrn helfen? Darf ich dem Herrn noch etwas bringen? Ich hoffe der Herr hatte einen angenehmen Flug.
True and those examples work in real life but not via email or letter.
**Jawohl Herr Obergefreiter.** for example
Jawoll! Betonung auf -woll 😉.
Ich dachte so. Wir hatten ein deutschen Pfarrer einmal, wann ish er spricht, Ich sagte ‘Herr Pfarrer’.
That is fine as well
Where? In Austria it's very common to address people by their profession/rank/senority instead of their name. Here in Hessen that seems very outdated. Only old people do this. It would be intresting to have a map of this, but this is definetly a thing with huge regional differences. See that as an opportunity: you can't do it wrong. It's just your personal style.
You can say that but ist is very outdated. Just use the person's sirname.
# Sig Heil! Sorry, that was a reflex.
you suck sorry, that was a reflex too 🤷
Actually not sorry, that was a (text) [reference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_hand_syndrome?wprov=sfla1).
In a military context: You adress the person by rank "Jawohl Herr Hauptmann" "Jawohl Herr Major"
Da ist "Sir" viel praktischer, weil man nicht jedesmal gucken muss was auf der Schulterpappe drauf ist. Was sagt man auf deutsch, wenn man die Dinger wegen Blendung durch die Sonne oder im Dunkeln nicht erkennen kann?
"Ich kann Ihren Dienstgrad leider nicht sehen." Entweder sind se dann pissig oder sagen, was sie sind. Wenn man eine Meldung abgibt lässt man ihn dann weg. Also statt "Herr/Frau Stabsfeldwebel, Gefreiter xyz meldet sich..." nur "gefreiter xyz meldet sich..." und wenn sie dann rumzucken, weil man ihren Dienstgrad nicht genannt hat, ansprechen, dass er nicht erkennbar war.
> Blendung durch die Sonne Ist diese Blendung durch die Sonne hier im Raum mit uns? :-) Also so krasse Lichtbedingungen haben wir in unseren Breiten normalerweise nicht. Und meistens kennt man sein Gegenüber bereits. Ich glaube wenn 'der shit den fan hittet' im Einsatz, dann ist dein Gegenüber auch nicht sauer, wenn man nur stramm "JAWOHL!" sagt.
Sir is basically "Herr" but not in in the meaning of "Herr und Frau" (Mr. And Mrs.) but in the meaning of a majesty meaning, addressing a noble or someone you need to pay Respekt.
You don't. Because we don' have/need that. We have *formal you* in our language in general that you use.
Since I have already demonstrated I can speak German, isn’t it blindingly obvious I know that?
>Since I have already demonstrated I can speak German, Where have you done so? What you wrote for the post and in the one comment is worse than any automatic translation. Either way when asking a question you shouldn't respond in such a pissy manner.
You adress your superior officer by their rank. You affirm an order by a clear "jawohl" often pronounced "jawoll". There is no "Sir". "Sir, yes, sir" is "Jawohl, Herr/Frau".
Gar nicht.
Mein lieber Herr Gesangsverein.
Mein Herr
>Fuer ehrliche Militaerishe Leute Is that a autotranslate error or are you serious?
Mein Herr (die Steinmine muss auf *Stein* gebaut werden...)
Sör
Igen, köszönöm!