Say Hello in German
Knowing basic German greetings is important if you are living, vacationing or working in Germany. As with most cultures, German distinguishes between formal greetings and ones you can use with friends and family. This article will tell you how to say hello in German in nearly every way possible.
Contents
Steps
Cheat Sheet
Doc:Ways to Say Hello in German
Formal German Greetings
- Know your listener. Say these phrases when you are greeting business associates and people you do not know well. Most of these greetings relate to the time of day.
- "Guten Morgen!" -- Good morning!
- It is usually used until about noon. In some areas of Germany, it is only said until 10 a.m.
- "Guten Tag!" -- Good day!
- This phrase is usually said between the hours of noon and 6 p.m.
- "Guten Abend." -- Good evening.
- This greeting is usually used after 6 p.m
- If you are writing, take note that all nouns in German are capitalized.
- "Guten Morgen!" -- Good morning!
- Opt for pleasantries. Often in English, asking a question is a polite way of saying, "Hello!" In German, it is no different.
- "Wie geht es Ihnen?" -- How are you? (formal)
- "Geht es Ihnen gut?" -- Are you well?
- "Sehr erfreut." -- Nice to meet you.
- To respond: "Gut, danke." -- I'm fine, thank you. "Es geht mir sehr gut." -- I'm very well. "Ziemlich gut." -- I'm rather well.
- If you are asked a question such as this, it is customary to respond with, "Und Ihnen?" -- And you? (formal)
- Know the proper physical greetings. In every culture or region, there is a different standard of greeting, be it bowing, hugging, or hand-shaking. Germany is a bit different than the rest of Europe.
- People in Germany usually prefer to greet non-family members with handshakes instead of the cheek kissing that is customary in most of Europe; however, cheek kissing is still a common type of greeting in many German-speaking countries.
- The rules regarding the number of kisses to give and knowing when and who to kiss change from place to place. When you meet someone for the first time, you can usually just shake hands. Then just watch how other people interact. You'll quickly recognize the pattern.
Informal Greetings
- Use casual phrases when greeting family and friends. Some of the following greetings are used in most regions of Germany.
- "Hallo!" needs no translation and is the most commonly used.
- "Morgen," "Tag," and "'n Abend" are shortened versions of the previous time-related greetings.
- "Sei gegrüßt." -- Be greeted. (addressing one person)
- "Seid gegrüßt." -- Be greeted. (addressing more than one person)
- "Grüß Dich" is translated to "I greet you" in English. You only use this greeting if you know the person very well.
- "ß" is sometimes represented as "ss" and is pronounced as such.
- Go for questions. To ask someone how they are, you have a couple different options (just like in English):
- "Wie geht es dir?" -- How are you? (informal)
- "Wie geht's?" -- How's it going?
- To respond: "Es geht mir gut." -- I'm fine."Nicht schlecht." -- Not bad.
- To throw a question back: "Und dir?" -- And you? (informal)
Regional Differences
- Familiarize yourself with regional phrases. Germany has a rich and varied history and, as a result, uses different phrases and figures of speech in different areas.
- "Moin Moin!" or just "Moin!" is another way to say "Hello!" in Northern Germany, Hamburg, East Frisia and nearby areas. It is considered an all-day greeting for everyone.
- "Grüß Gott" translates into "May God greet you," and is considered a way to say hello to everyone in southern Germany, Bavaria.
- "Servus!" is another greeting you'll only hear in the south of Germany, translating to "hello."
Tips
- "Hallo" tends to be semi-formal nowadays. It can still be used to greet friends, but can also be used at shops, doctor's offices and restaurants.
