Here in Tunisia, it is common to use first names with titles: “Madame Olfa, please give me that paper,” or “Sbeh al kheir Si Haythem!” Therefore, it’s natural to assume that you do the same thing in English: “Good morning Mr. John!” In English, however, titles are used with last names, not first names:
Mr. (pronounced “mister”) Smith, not Mr. Will
Ms. (pronounced “mizz”) Jolie, not Mrs. Angelina
Mrs. (pronounced “misses”) Dion, not Mrs. Celine
This applies not only to Mr., Mrs., and Ms., but other titles, such as Dr. and Professor:
Dr. Ross, not Dr. Doug
Professor Snape, not Professor Severus
Using titles like this are good ways to be polite and respectful. But two questions might arise:
Q: I’m speaking to a woman. How do I know whether to use Ms. or Mrs.?
A: If you are certain the woman is married, use “Mrs.” If she is single or you don’t know her marital status, use “Ms.”
Q: What do I do if the person has a hard-to-pronounce last name?
A: Say: “I’m sorry, how do you pronounce your last name?” This is a respectful way to show you care.
New City Language Services 