die Ehefrau
wife
A woman who is married; the female partner in a marriage.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seine Ehefrau im Urlaub kennengelernt.
He met his wife on vacation.
die Ehefrau
wife
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is clearly composed of 'die Ehe' (marriage) and 'die Frau' (woman). So it literally means 'marriage-woman'.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist seit zwanzig Jahren seine Ehefrau.
She has been his wife for twenty years.
Register and style
The term 'Ehefrau' (wife) is often used in a formal, official, or legal context. You find it, for example, on official forms, in contracts, or in newspaper reports.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Formular müssen Sie den Namen Ihrer Ehefrau eintragen.
On the form, you must enter your wife's name.
Usage pattern
Since the word describes a relationship, it is almost always used with a possessive article (meine, seine, ihre ...) or a genitive ('die Ehefrau des Präsidenten' — the president's wife). This makes clear whom the person belongs to or is connected with.
EXAMPLE
Meine Ehefrau ist Ärztin von Beruf.
My wife is a doctor by profession.
Compare with
Ehefrau vs Frau
woman / wife
Frau can generally mean an adult female person, but with a possessive word such as meine Frau it can also refer to one’s spouse. Ehefrau explicitly names this relationship and is therefore unambiguous. Use Frau in a familiar marital context, and Ehefrau when the information should be clear without any further context.
Ehefrau
Seine Ehefrau wartet heute nach der Arbeit vor dem Kino auf ihn.
His wife is waiting for him in front of the cinema after work today.
Frau
Meine Frau wartet heute nach der Arbeit vor dem Kino auf mich.
My wife is waiting for me in front of the cinema after work today.
In real life
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