how would i address a letter to a 17 year old german girl?
would i use frau or fraulein or what?

Don't use Frau unless she is married.

Ditto.

Tschüss!!

Jim

I believe that if she's over 25 or so she would be addressed as Frau even if she's single, and younger than that as Fraulein. Hopefully someone currently living in Germany will confirm. Possibly that's a regional thing.

First, don't use "Fräulein" unless you want to come across as old-fashioned, patronizing, or extremely formal.

Use "Frau" if it's a more formal letter, otherwise go straight for first names.

That's correct. Even the public administration no longer uses "Fräulein" to adress the younger ones. And the German administration isn't known to be particular progressive. It's generally accepted to use "Frau" for every girl or woman above a certain age, under that age it's a kid and you would use the first name.


- Harry

Sorry, this is incorrect advice. Everyone who is considered a woman is called Frau now.
Fräulein is considered offensive. So it is not the same as the English-language Miss/Mrs distinction.

If she is 17, definitely use Frau.

yup, i'm not german, but i asked the same question during my visit there and was told that "frau" was the safer thing to say.