Breakdown of Guten Tag, Herr Doktor!
Guten Tag
hello, good day (neutral, formal)
der Herr
the gentleman / Mr.
der Doktor
the doctor (title of address)
Questions & Answers about Guten Tag, Herr Doktor!
Why is it Guten Tag with an -n instead of Guter Tag?
It is in the accusative case. The phrase is actually short for Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Tag (I wish you a good day). Since the day is the direct object being wished, the masculine noun Tag takes the accusative adjective ending -en.
Why do we add Herr before Doktor? Can't I just say Doktor like in English?
In German, it is considered polite to use Herr (Mr.) or Frau (Ms.) along with academic or professional titles when addressing someone directly. Just saying Doktor on its own sounds blunt and slightly impolite.
Does Herr Doktor only refer to medical doctors?
No, you can use it for anyone with a doctorate! While it is the standard way to address your physician, Herr Doktor (or Frau Doktor) is also the formal way to address anyone who holds a PhD in any field.
Learn Guten Tag, Herr Doktor and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free