Mrs in different languages

Mrs in Different Languages

Discover 'Mrs' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The title of 'Mrs' is a widely recognized term of respect and honor for married women in the English language. Its significance extends beyond mere identification, as it often conveys cultural and social connotations. For instance, in some societies, a woman's assumption of the title 'Mrs' after marriage signifies a new phase in her life, denoting commitment, responsibility, and maturity.

Moreover, the translation of 'Mrs' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into the unique cultural nuances and societal norms of various regions around the world. For example, in Spanish, 'Mrs' is translated as 'Señora,' while in French, it becomes 'Madame.' In German, 'Mrs' is 'Frau,' and in Japanese, it is 'oku-sama' or 'tsu-shimai' depending on the context.

Understanding the translations of 'Mrs' in different languages can be beneficial for various reasons. For instance, it can facilitate cross-cultural communication, foster global understanding, and even enhance one's cultural intelligence. Join us as we explore the various translations of 'Mrs' in different languages and cultures.

Mrs


Mrs in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansmev
The word 'Mev' was originally borrowed from French 'Madame', but in Afrikaans, it has come to have a more formal meaning akin to the English 'Mrs'.
Amharicወይዘሮ
The term
Hausamisis
In Hausa, "Misis" can also refer to the wife of a high-ranking person.
Igbooriakụ
The Igbo word "Oriakụ" can also refer to a woman who is not married.
Malagasyrtoa
Rtoa comes from the French "Ritô", which may derive from the Arabic "sîdi" (lord).
Nyanja (Chichewa)mai
The word 'Mai' in Nyanja can also refer to an elderly woman or a paternal aunt.
Shonamai
The word 'Mai' can also mean 'mother' or be used as a term of respect for an older woman in Shona.
Somalimarwo
The word 'Marwo' also means 'lady' or 'mistress' and is often used when addressing older women or women of respected status.
Sesothomof
The word "Mof" in Sesotho can also mean "my lady" or "madam".
Swahilibi
The word 'Bi' can also refer to an older female family member or a woman who is respected in the community.
Xhosanks
The word "Nks" also means "wife" or "madam" in Xhosa.
Yorubafúnmi
"Fúnmi" is an abbreviated form of "Omo Fúnmílayo" meaning "Child of Give-me-joy" in Yoruba.
Zuluunkk
UNkk can also mean 'madam' or a woman of higher social status.
Bambaramadamu
Eweaƒenɔ
Kinyarwandamadamu
Lingalamadame
Lugandamukyaala
Sepedimdi
Twi (Akan)owurayere

Mrs in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالسيدة
The word "السيدة" (sayyida) in Arabic can also refer to a princess, a wealthy woman, or a woman of high social status.
Hebrewגברת
In Hebrew, "גברת" can refer to a bride or female master, originating from the word "גבירה" meaning "mistress".
Pashtoمیرمن
In Pashto, "میرمن" is derived from the Persian words "میر" (chief) and "منش" (nature), denoting a woman of high standing or a chief's wife.
Arabicالسيدة
The word "السيدة" (sayyida) in Arabic can also refer to a princess, a wealthy woman, or a woman of high social status.

Mrs in Western European Languages

Albanianznj
The word "Znj" in Albanian is a polite form of address and equivalent to "Mrs" in English, and it derives from the word "zonjë" meaning "lady" or "mistress".
Basqueanderea
The Basque word "andere" is cognate with the Old Irish word "aindir" meaning "manwife".
Catalanmrs
In Catalan, "mrs" ("Mrs") has no alternate meanings or etymological significance beyond its standard usage as an abbreviation for "mistress".
Croatiangđa
The word 'Gđa' in Croatian is an abbreviation of 'Gospođa', meaning 'Mrs' or 'Miss' depending on the context.
Danishfru
The word “fru” has an alternate meaning of “woman of high rank,” which is derived from an Old Norse word meaning “lady.”
Dutchmvr
In Dutch, "Mvr" abbreviates "Mevrouw," "Madam," or "Miss," depending on the woman's marital status and age.
Englishmrs
The abbreviation "Mrs" can mean "mistress" as well as "missus" in a formal or informal setting.
Frenchmme
Mme is the abbreviation of Madame, the formal way to address a married woman in French.
Frisianfrou
The word "frou" in Frisian can also refer to a woman who is not married or a woman who is a widow.
Galicianseñora
In Galician, "Señora" can also mean "mother" or a respected elderly woman.
Germanfrau
The German word 'Frau' originates from the Old High German 'frouwa,' meaning 'mistress' or 'lady of the house.'
Icelandicfrú
The word "Frú" can mean "lady" or "a female of distinction", and it is used as a respectful form of address for married women.
Irishbean uí
"Bean Uí" literally translates to "daughter of a grandson"
Italiansig.ra
Short for "Signora", meaning "Lady", "Mrs", or "Madam" in Italian
Luxembourgishmme
In Luxembourgish, "Mme" is also used as a formal way to address a woman, regardless of her marital status.
Maltesesinjura
The etymology of 'Sinjura' traces back to 'Signora' in Italian or 'Señora' in Spanish, reflecting the historical influence of these languages on Maltese.
Norwegianfru
The word "Fru" in Norwegian can be a respectful way to address a woman, but it also has a historical connection to the Norse goddess "Frigg."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)sra
Sra ("Mrs.") originates from the Portuguese word "Senhora" ("Lady"), and it can also refer to a nun.
Scots Gaelicbh-ph
The Scottish Gaelic term "Bh-ph" (pronounced "voo") can trace its origins to the 16th century French word "Madame," which was also adopted into English as "Madam" and later to "Mrs."
Spanishseñora
In Spanish, 'señora' (Mrs.) can also refer to a married or upper-class woman or, when used before a name, to a female teacher or doctor.
Swedishfru
The title 'Fru', Swedish for 'Mrs', is short for 'frue' and means 'lady'.
Welshmrs
In ancient times, "Mrs." denoted "mistress," a respectful term for married or single women.

Mrs in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмісіс
The word "місіс" is derived from the Old English word "missus", meaning "madam" or "mistress".
Bosniangđa
The word "Gđa" is originally a title for high-born Muslim women in Bosnia, but can also be used more broadly to refer to any woman, especially as a term of respect.
Bulgarianг-жа
The word "Г-жа" can also be used as a polite form of address for women who are not married, similar to the English "Ms."
Czechpaní
In some Czech dialects, "paní" also refers to an unmarried woman or young girl.
Estonianproua
The word 'proua' in Estonian also means 'wife' and dates back to the 13th century.
Finnishrouva
Rouva is derived from the Old Norse word "húsfreyja," meaning "mistress of the house".
Hungarianasszony
The word "Asszony" derives from the Proto-Uralic word "*akka", meaning "older woman" or "grandmother".
Latviankundze
"Kundze" (Mrs) is derived from the Latvian word "kungs," meaning "lord," and is used as a formal address for married women.
Lithuanianponia
The word "Ponia" can also be used as a term of respectful address for a woman who is not married, similar to "Miss" in English.
Macedonianгоспоѓица
The Slavic term "Госпоѓица" (Mrs) is an honorific title for both married and unmarried women and originated from the Old Church Slavonic word "госпожа" (lady)
Polishpani
In Polish, "Pani" can also refer to a young unmarried woman or a female teacher.
Romaniandoamna
The etymology of the Romanian word "doamna" is debated, with theories connecting it to Latin, Slavic, and Turkish roots, but ultimately its origin and meaning remain uncertain in modern scholarship.
Russianг-жа
Г-жа is a shortened version of "госпожа" which literally translates to "mistress" but is used as "madam" in modern-day Russian.
Serbianгоспођа
"Госпођа" can be used to address a married woman, a woman in a position of authority, or a woman who is being addressed with respect.
Slovakpani
In certain Slovak dialects, "pani" can refer to an unmarried woman who lives independently.
Slovenianga
The Slovene honorific for married women, "ga," also has a second usage, referring to a type of female mythological being originating in Slavic folklore.
Ukrainianмісіс
The word "місіс" is borrowed from the English word "mistress".

Mrs in South Asian Languages

Bengaliজনাবা
জনাবা (Mrs.) comes from the Sanskrit word 'janmani' which means 'born'.
Gujaratiશ્રીમતી
The Gujarati word "શ્રીમતી" is also used as a respectful form of address for women, similar to the English "Ms."
Hindiश्रीमती
The word "श्रीमती" is derived from the Sanskrit word "श्री", meaning "wealth" or "prosperity"
Kannadaಶ್ರೀಮತಿ
The word "ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ" (Mrs) in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word "श्रीमती" (śrīmatī), which means "fortunate" or "wealthy."
Malayalamശ്രീമതി
The term 'Sreemathi' is also used to address female devotees who have dedicated their lives to religious service.
Marathiसौ
The Marathi word 'सौ' ('Mrs.') is derived from the Sanskrit word 'सह' (to bear), implying the wife as one who shares her husband's burden.
Nepaliश्रीमती
The word "श्रीमती" can also mean "a goddess" or "a woman of good character."
Punjabiਸ਼੍ਰੀਮਤੀ
"Shrimati" is a word in the Punjabi language derived from the Sanskrit word "shrimati" and is commonly used as an honorific title or prefix before the name of a married woman, similar to the English word "Mrs".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)මහත්මිය
The Sinhala term 'මහත්මිය' (mahatmiya), meaning 'Mrs.' or 'madam,' has its roots in Sanskrit, where 'mahat' signifies 'great' and 'mi' denotes 'mine,' thus conveying a sense of respect and endearment.
Tamilதிருமதி
In Tamil, "திருமதி" is an honorific prefixed to a married woman's name, and is also a term of address used to show respect to married women generally
Teluguశ్రీమతి
శ్రీమతి is derived from the Sanskrit word 'srimati' meaning 'glorious' or 'wealthy' and can also refer to the goddess Lakshmi.
Urduمسز
The word "مسز" "Mrs" comes from the Middle English term "mystress" meaning "mistress" or "female head of household."

Mrs in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)太太
"太太" can refer to a woman of high social status, a wealthy woman, or a woman who is married.
Chinese (Traditional)太太
太太 can also refer to a married woman in a general sense or to a wealthy or respected woman.
Japanese夫人
The word "夫人" can also mean "lady" or "mistress" in Japanese.
Korean부인
부인 originally meant 'lady with a husband', but now it is used as a polite form of address for married and unmarried women alike.
Mongolianхадагтай
The term "Хадагтай" means not only a "Mrs" but also an "owner of a scarf" or an "owner of a silk".
Myanmar (Burmese)ဒေါ်

Mrs in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiannyonya
"Nyonya" (Mrs) in Indonesian can also refer to a married Chinese-Indonesian woman.
Javaneseibu
The Javanese word "Ibu" can also mean "mother" or "female elder".
Khmerអ្នកស្រី
អ្នកស្រី was once a respectful way of addressing unmarried women but due to changes in society it now normally means "wife".
Laoນາງ
The Lao word "ນາງ" was originally used to address unmarried women, later married women, and is now used to address any female respectfully.
Malaypuan
The term 'Puan' may also be used to refer to a young lady, especially an unmarried woman of noble birth.
Thaiนาง
The word 'นาง' ('Mrs') in Thai can also refer to a female deity or spirit, or a woman who is married to a high-ranking official.
Vietnamese
Bà means “grandmother” in northern Vietnamese and “Mrs.” in southern Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)gng

Mrs in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanixanım
Despite the similar spelling and pronunciation, 'khanim' in Azerbaijani and 'hanım' in Turkish do not share an origin.
Kazakhханым
Derived from the Turkic root 'khanum', meaning 'lady' or 'princess', the term 'Ханым' is also used as a respectful form of address for older women in Kazakh culture.
Kyrgyzайым
The word "Айым" also means "moon" in Kyrgyz, referencing the traditional association between women and the moon.
Tajikхонум
The word "Хонум" is derived from the Persian word "خانم" and can also mean "lady" or "mistress".
Turkmenhanym
Uzbekhonim
Honim means “Mrs.” in Uzbek, and is also used as a term of endearment for a female elder.
Uyghurخانىم

Mrs in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻo mrs.
'O Mrs.' derives from 'Mrs.' and is used to refer to married women or women of high status
Maorimrs.
In Māori, 'Mrs' is an abbreviation for 'Missus', which is derived from the English 'mistress', meaning female head of a household or group.
Samoanmrs.
It also refers to a young unmarried lady in Samoan, or an elder unmarried female.
Tagalog (Filipino)gng
Gng derives from the Spanish honorific "Doña" and can also denote endearment or familiarity.

Mrs in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaramma
Guaranikuñakarai

Mrs in International Languages

Esperantosinjorino
The word "Sinjorino" also means "young lady" or "mistress".
Latinquia
The word "Quia" in Latin means "because" or "since".

Mrs in Others Languages

Greekκυρία
The Greek word "κυρία" can also mean "lady", "mistress" or "owner".
Hmongyawg
The word "Yawg" comes from the Chinese word "太太", which means "wife" or "madam."
Kurdishmrs.
In the Kurdish language, "Mrs." (Mrs) is also used as a polite form of address for older women, similar to "Ma'am" in English.
Turkishbayan
In Mongolian, 'Bayan' means 'rich' or 'prosperous', and in Kazakh, it means 'noble' or 'distinguished'.
Xhosanks
The word "Nks" also means "wife" or "madam" in Xhosa.
Yiddishמרת
In Yiddish, 'מרת' is also a title of respect for married women, similar to 'Mrs.' in English.
Zuluunkk
UNkk can also mean 'madam' or a woman of higher social status.
Assameseশ্ৰীমতী
Aymaramma
Bhojpuriसिरीमती
Dhivehiމިސިޒް
Dogriश्रीमती
Filipino (Tagalog)gng
Guaranikuñakarai
Ilocanodonya
Kriowɛf
Kurdish (Sorani)خاتوو
Maithiliश्रीमती
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁ꯭ꯔꯤꯃꯇꯤ
Mizopi
Oromoaadde
Odia (Oriya)ଶ୍ରୀମତୀ
Quechuamama
Sanskritमहोदया
Tatarханым
Tigrinyaወይዘሪት
Tsongamanana

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