Do Germans use "madame" often?

Question

Do Germans use "madame" often to address non-married or a married woman?

Or do they use Frau more often?

Confused why being called 'madame' by Germans.

I am not French.

Answer 1

The generally accepted, most common form of address for a female is "Frau". But Germans also do use Madame as a form of address. Although not nearly as often as the neutral default "Frau". Using Madame is more often heard than many people seem to notice. It is not really 'unusual', or 'very rare' but pales in absolute frequency to "Frau". Not least because Madame might carry a load of different connotations: in polite encounters among Germans it might be a not so good idea to use Madame. The absolute frequency varies overall, through times, and from region to region:

_{(Source: DWDS – Verlaufskurve Madame)}

But: This usage depends highly on the situation and circumstances. The range of possible meanings and especially connotations make it impossible to look at this word and define it out of context.

There are three different ways to pronounce this word: English, French and German (although French and German sound almost like homophones).

If someone identifies you as English speaking (and even more so if she uses English pronunciation) this is likely a courtesy, trying to address you with a supposedly familiar or correct form. Same goes for the case that you are identified as possibly a French native speaker.

In both other pronunciation cases than English, things get difficult if this is not meant as courtesy to an obvious foreigner.

Commonly the following meanings are listed:

Aussprache: IPA: [madam], Plural: [medam] Hörbeispiele: Lautsprecherbild madame (Info) Reime: -am

Bedeutungen:
1. veraltet: Ehrentitel für Angehörige der oberen Schichten:
2. Titel für eine verheiratete Frau oder in Verbindung mit Berufsbezeichnungen: Frau
3. als direkte Anrede: gnädige Frau, Madame
4. umgangssprachlich: Dame
5. absolut: Hausherrin

Or more simple:

Wortbedeutung/Definition:
1) als Anrede: Frau, gnädige Frau
Anwendungsbeispiele:
1) Küss die Hand, Madame.

Madame
Synonyme Frau, Madam (stilistische Variante)
Oberbegriff Anrede

Some synonyms:

Dame | Frau von Stand | Grazie | Lady | Madame [frz.] | elegante Frau

titelähnlich oder als Anrede gebrauchte französische Bezeichnung für Frau

But this leaves out the considerable leeway Germans exploit when using this word.

Verwendungsbeispiele
_{maschinell ausgesucht aus den DWDS-Korpora}
Die Madame des hoteleigenen Nachtclubs habe in der ganzen Stadt die Mädchen zusammen gesucht, für mehr als 1200 Yuan (133 Euro) pro Kopf.
_{Süddeutsche Zeitung, 30.09.2003}

Diese Frage vermag Madame Trautmann noch nicht zu beantworten, sie gibt sich aber locker und interessiert.
_{Die Welt, 07.12.2001}

Die Madame kennt sie alle - und kann die abtrünnigen Geistlichen vermitteln. _{Bild, 06.01.1998}
Er verfügt definitiv über mehr Glamour als Edelgard Bulmahn, die bedauernswerte Madame Pisa.
_{Der Tagesspiegel, 20.09.2003}

Frans Hals soll den Männern beibringen, daß sie Hüte tragen müssen, um ein respektables Ansehen zu gewinnen, schon Fragonard, Mesdames, kannte das Geheimnis der Unterwäsche.
_{Die Zeit, 19.05.1967, Nr. 20}

Madame geruht zu speisen.

And mainly inspired from older literature: "als modische allgemeine anrede an höher gestellte frauen seit dem 16. jahrh. aus dem französischen übernommen" | madam! ich liebe sie! | madame! sie sind die schönste aller frauen! | madame, wir haben heut Mariatag. |

Often with an extreme germanised pronuciation this is mainly found in Hamburg and Berlin as a form of address for young girls, especially for calling on them. But also for any female when meant as a half-polite form of a derogatory address.

Madam

Maddam meist abfällig gebrauchte Bezeichnung für eine Frau oder ein Mädchen, das einem nahe steht.
Wenn ich Maddamm noch ma beim Schwänzen erwisch, dann is aber Mattäi am Letzten, lass dir dat gesacht sein. Ach, Madam is sich zu fein für dat bischen Putzen un Kochen? Ach, Maddamm kommt auch schon nach Hause?

As you can see, this form of address is applied in different contexts with very different meanings. In the Rhineland it mostly for young girls, in Hamburg it is also used for prostitutes, and in Berlin it can almost considered a standard form of acceptable address (colloquially, cf "Berliner Schnauze").

Without more context for tone of voice, very concrete situations – and this includes location (it seems to be quite uncommon in general to the south of the German speaking world) – this is hard to diagnose as anything other than form of address for a female. It can be many things. From extremely formal to extremely colloquial, from paying high respect to being quite insulting.

---

_{Further examples for possible confusion and differing opinions on connotations: Bedeutung des Wortes "Madame"?, Was Bedeutet Dieser Kosename?, Madame?!, Ist "Madame" eine abwertende Bezeichnung?, Kommentare zu "Madame", Madame fehlt mir noch, so werd ich immer genannt wenn ich irgendwo was kaufen soll.}

Answer 2

"Madame" is NOT used in German EXCEPT in an ironic/derogative way, especially for misbehaving little girls. "Frau" is almost always used with a name (Frau Müller, ...) not just "Frau" to address someone. Directly addressing someone without a name (such as Mister/Monsieur) does not exist in modern German except in formal situations ("Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ...").

Answer 3

Bei der Interpretation genügt es nach dem Tonfall und dem Kontext zu gehen. Von zärtlich bis verachtend ist alles drin, wie LangLangC ausführt.

Madame wird immer mal wieder von jemandem verwendet, aber lange nicht so häufig wie wie das neutralere Frau, welches insbesondere in formalen Kontexten dominant ist.

Eine ironische Note wird häufig dabei sein, aber diese einzuordnen bedarf der genaueren Kenntnis der Sprecher und der Situation. Der Begriff betont das damenhafte.

Die Schreibweise 'Madame' lässt die Spekulation über eine englische Aussprache nicht zu, wie auch der Hinweis, keine Französin zu sein.

Answer 4

This question has its fair share of answers, but except for the comments, I do not really see the fact that OP is _being called_ Madame mentioned anywhere.

So, if you are called Madame today in Germany, then one of these (rather specific) cases could apply:

• You are the (child/adolescent) daughter of a German parent and did something naughty. Not relevant for your case, as you probably would not have asked the question then.
• You are a customer in a very posh restaurant or fashion shop. (But then, they would use the word with every woman around, not just you.)
• You are in one of the northern parts of the country and some guy is bantering with you (this is more of a dialect issue then, it is nearly unheard of in more southern parts of the country).
• You are actually talking about Austria - there it should be more common, again especially in restaurants or shops, but they use plenty of words quite differently from Germany.
• You are quite old (like 70+) and presenting yourself in a very dignified fashion, eliciting the word from people who are slightly in awe and would normally not use it with younger women.

I cannot really think of any other case. In normal day-to-day-life, especially with the regular distance we keep in Germany, especially in a workplace, the word is more or less unheard-of. If you are just a normal woman in normal surroundings, I also would be quite confused if people used that word with you.

Answer 5

I am a foreigner in Germany.

I can't remember a single time to hear the word "madam" from native speakers. Although they know and they would surely understand it.

"Frau" is a quite common word, it means mainly "woman", but has also the polite-honorful tone as "madame".

Answer 6

That word is in use, but not very common nowadays, and the meaning is heavily dependant on the context.

Examples could be:

• polite/honorific, although a bit antiquated: "Was wünschen Madame zu speisen?"
• ironic/derisive, to a girl/teenager: "Wenn ich Madame noch einmal dabei erwische, wie sie an meine Kreditkarte geht, setzt es was!"
  • Mainly used to put said girl's head straight when she thinks she's entitled to something she actually isn't.
• Warning: The english word "madam" is sometimes used to denote a procuress, too, and this connotation did make some headway into the usage of this word in German.

Anyway, "gnädige Frau" is a more up to date replacement for "Madame", especially for the more positive connotations.