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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 Mann
man
'der Mann' and 'die Ehefrau' can describe the two partner roles in a marriage. When 'Mann' is used in the sense of husband, it means the male partner in the marriage. 'Ehefrau' means the female partner in the marriage. So the contrast is not between just any man and any woman, but between the roles in a marriage. In everyday speech, people often say 'mein Mann' and 'meine Frau'; 'Ehefrau' is a little more precise and often more formal.
Ehefrau
Nach dem Arzttermin hat er seine Ehefrau angerufen.
After the doctor's appointment, he called his wife.
Mann
Zu Hause kocht ihr Mann heute das Abendessen.
At home, her husband is cooking dinner today.
In real life
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