It’s a beautiful morning in Hamburg. You’re enjoying a nice piece of bread and a coffee at a streetside cafe.
Suddenly a German friend of yours enters and you’d like to say hello. But this time, you’ll do it in German.
So how exactly do you say “Hello” in German?
Greetings are part of every culture, and no matter where you find yourself on the globe, there are plenty of different ways to do it. Each one has its own subtleties, ranging from formality to time of day to location.
Fortunately, it’s not confusing in the least. Pretty much everything can be accurately mapped to a phrase or concept we’re familiar with in English.
“Hello” in learning German is one of the most important things you’ll learn, so let’s delve into this concept and explore the different ways to greet in German with GermanPod101.com.
1. Morning, Noon, and Night
There are several German words to say hello. Keep in mind that just like in English, we greet people a little bit differently when it comes to different times of day. In fact, some of the most common greetings in German are related to the time of day, and these are often the best way to say hello in German.
Germans tend to be early risers compared to some other countries. It’s not uncommon to see lots of people out and about at around seven o’clock—out for a walk, headed to work, or getting breakfast. When it’s before noon, you’ll probably want to use:
- Guten Morgen!
“Good morning!”
Later on, the words change a bit, like so:
- Guten Tag!
“Good day/hello!” - Guten Abend!
“Good evening!”
1- Additional Notes
1. Devoicing and More
A couple of notes on the pronunciation here. Remember that in Germany, a b, d, z, or g at the end of a word is pronounced as p, t, s, and k respectively. This is called devoicing, and you can think of it as kind of like whispering the very last sound of the word.
Also, when it comes to the word guten, meaning “good,” that final e is kind of swallowed and the u is lengthened. Guutn Taak!
Speaking of swallowing sounds, these three greetings are very frequently clipped into something like morg’n, ‘tag, or ‘n abn’d.
What about Gute Nacht? Just like in English, that’s the direct equivalent of good night, used just before going to sleep!
2. Cheek Kisses
You may have heard that in Europe, people exchange cheek kisses when they meet. That’s not entirely true—you’re not supposed to actually kiss the cheek, and it’s not everywhere in Europe.
Germans, for instance, tend to just shake hands. I won’t come out and say that nobody in Germany does cheek kisses, but it’s certainly a move you shouldn’t be the first to make.
2. Back to Basics
English is a Germanic language, so German really isn’t very far away. Don’t be surprised if some of the simplest, most common ways to say hello in German sound awfully like English in a funny accent.
So what’s the simplest, easiest way to greet someone in German?
- Hallo!
“Hello!”
This is actually used more often between people that sort of know each other or who are around the same age. I wouldn’t use it when buying something at a train station or a shop. It’s not particularly informal, just a little bit too friendly of an opener for two strangers to use.
In those cases, it’s more common for both you and the clerk to say Guten Tag or the appropriate time-related expression.
A great real-life example would be if you walked from hotel to hotel inquiring about free rooms in a German-speaking country. Every single interaction opens with a nice, clear, pleasant Guten Abend.
- Guten Abend! Haben Sie Zimmer frei?
“Good evening! Do you have any free rooms?”
As you go from place to place in German-speaking areas, one of the most common things you’ll hear right after Guten Tag when you go into a shop is:
- Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?
“How can I help you?”
It’s good to be able to recognize that when you hear it. However, I don’t know what you’re looking for, so the rest of that conversation is up to you!
3. Exchanging Names
When you get introduced to someone, you’ll likely tell them your name. After all, a name is an incredibly important part of a person’s identity.
To ask for a name, say:
- Wie heißen Sie?
“What’s your name?”
Literally, you’re saying, “What do you call?” which doesn’t make a lick of sense in English. It really helps to think of it in terms of, “What do you call yourself?” This is, as you’ll guess, a common greeting in German, and the answer follows pretty logically:
- Ich heiße Yassir.
“My name is Yassir.”
Or even:
- Ich bin Yassir.
“I’m Yassir.”
And the obvious next step after that?
4. Nice to Meet You!
There’s a particularly formal way to express this idea, perfect for a business meeting or some kind of official gathering, and it’s one of the most common ways to say hello in German.
- Es freut mich sehr, Sie kennenzulernen.
“I’m very glad to meet you.”
The German word kennenlernen is a crystal-clear example of word formation in the German language. Lernen means “to learn,” and kennen means “to know somebody” (as opposed to knowing information).
By sticking these words together, you can now express the idea “to get to know somebody,” or “to make somebody’s acquaintance.”
That’s a bit of a long phrase, though. Fortunately, there do exist slightly shorter variants that have the advantage of being relatively formal.
- Sehr erfreut. / Freut mich.
“Nice to meet you.”
What’s the deal with freut here? Freuen is a verb meaning “to please,” as in “I’m very pleased.” In fact, that’s all that sehr erfreut means. The “I’m” bit is implied because this is a set phrase.
5. Where are You Now?
1- Germany
When learning about the common greetings in German, keep in mind that Germany is a big place—with more than eighty million people, there’s bound to be some regional variation.
Although everybody in the German-speaking countries are educated using Standard German or Hochdeutsch, lots of people (especially older generations) are more comfortable speaking Dialekte, or local dialects.
Words and phrases from these dialects color the standard language of each area, lending it a comfortable and local feeling.
And greetings are no exception.
1. Northern Germany
In Northern Germany, you’ll hear Moin all the time to mean, “Hello.” Sometimes it’s doubled up as Moin moin—to which the only response, naturally, is a third Moin! This works any time of the day.
You also may hear Na, spoken with a question intonation and often written “Na?” It’s a quick and efficient greeting that somehow manages to capture the English “Hey, what’s up, how’s it going?” all in one syllable.
2. Southern Germany
Now let’s move further south and see what we hear as different people say hello.
In Southern Germany you’ll encounter Grüß dich! Like lots of greetings, this is a shortened form or a reference to something else—in this case, it comes from a phrase meaning, “Be blessed by God.”
2- Austria
Over the border in Austria (and even before it) you’ll often hear something that sounds a little strange to English ears.
- Servus!
“Hello!”
There’s not really any special meaning here, though it might take a bit before you stop hearing “service” and start interpreting it as “Hello!”
Another really common one is Grüß Gott, which literally translates to “greet God,” but just means “hello” like all the rest. It’s true that the further south you go in German-speaking Europe, the more religious people you’ll find. However, these greetings can and are used by people of all faiths.
3- Switzerland
Swiss German is its own separate language that’s quite distinct from Standard German. All German-speaking Swiss people understand Standard German and most speak it very well, but there’s an even stronger cultural connection with the dialects than there is in Germany.
Travelers to Switzerland sometimes report that Swiss people greet them automatically in Swiss German even if they know the visitor is a foreigner.
So that’s why these words are a little different:
- Grüetzi! Guetzach! Grüessech!
“Hello!”
Nobody’s sneezing at you, they’re just saying hello in Swiss German!
Actually, it’s not super far off from what we’ve seen in Germany. That root verb grüssen is cognate with the English “to greet.”
When time is of the essence—or you’re just passing someone on a hiking path—you can cut down grüetzi to just zi.
It’s a little bit less common, but another Swiss German greeting you could run into is Hoi. Fortunately, it sounds close enough to the English “Hey,” or even “Ahoy,” so you won’t need to rack your brain for the definition.
6. Let’s Take it Easy: Casual Greetings
- Wie geht es dir?/Wie geht’s?
“How’s it going?”
Although this is relatively slangy and informal, it’s extremely common. There’s even a formal version—simply replace the informal pronoun dir with the formal Ihnen.
You’re asking literally, “How goes it to you?” The polite response, as in English, is gut—meaning “good.” But you can do better than that! Try out these:
- Gut, danke! Und dir/Ihnen?
“Good, thanks! And you?” - Es geht mir sehr gut.
“I’m doing very well.”
Those are excellent all-purpose answers, and the level of formality is carried over well in the translation. If you haven’t seen someone for a while, you might ask more earnestly how they’ve been, and the response “I’m doing very well,” perfectly matches that tone.
Now for some more:
- Hey, Alter!
“Hey, man!”
Yes, Germans say “hey” too. English is everywhere! Alter is a very casual and laid-back way of addressing a male friend. You can shout it across the room to get his attention or deliver it with a smile and a handshake when you see each other.
- Was geht ab?
“What’s up?”
Just as with its English equivalent, this phrase is super-slangy and really shouldn’t be used in a formal situation.
- Hallo zusammen!
“Hey everybody!”
If you watch any German YouTubers, you might pick up this phrase quickly. Zusammen literally means “together,” but this phrase can be used whether you’re greeting a group of friends or are at a large casual gathering.
- Alles klar?
“How are you?”
This phrase might be even more confusing if you’re familiar with German. “All clear,” in English sounds like you’re about to launch a rocket or start demolishing a building.
But in German, it’s just a simple way to ask how you’re doing. Just like with Wie geht’s, a simple gut, danke (“Fine, thanks!”) is the correct answer.
7. The Conversation Doesn’t Stop at Hello
Or at least I hope not!
A greeting is just the beginning. You might have heard that Germans are too reserved for small talk, but that’s not true at all.
Sometimes you’ll wish people hadn’t been ahead of you in line at shops when they exchange banter with clerks like it was primetime TV.
So what are some things Germans chat about?
Well, all over the world people like to complain about the weather.
- Es ist bitterkalt!
“It’s ice-cold!” - Da draußen ist es furchtbar heiß! Dreiunddreizig Grad!
“It’s so hot outside! Thirty-three degrees!”
But that might not be enough to go on. If you’re feeling up to a short conversation, you can fire away with this excellent starter:
- Was hast du heute vor?
“What have you got going on today?”
Now, there are as many answers to that as there are people in Germany. But there’s one answer that might be the most satisfying of them all.
- Heute habe ich gar nichts vor.
“I don’t have anything going on today.”
What an excellent phrase! And it has two interesting grammar points to dissect as well.
First, that word vor is a preposition meaning “before.” Thus the question is something like “What lies before you today?” if you allow a little bit of poetic license in translation.
And second, the phrase gar nichts is a beautiful and idiomatic way to say “nothing at all.” Nichts on its own means “nothing,” but it can sound a little abrupt and rude to just say “nothing” when asked what you’re doing that day.
Conclusion
How to say hello in the German language is of the utmost importance. I hope that in this article you’ve seen that you can get pretty far in a German conversation just by carefully using some key phrases.
I’ve always found it helpful to memorize some set phrases and use them in patterns later on. As I get better and learn more grammar, I can come back to those as examples and figure out what was actually going on linguistically as I was saying them.
With that in mind, you should take the first opportunity to go out and strike up a chat with some German speakers. It all starts with hello!
If you want to learn additional words and phrases in German, as well as important cultural information, be sure to visit GermanPod101.com! We provide you with everything you need to excel in the German language so that you can make the most out of your time in Germany (or conversations with German friends!).
Also keep in mind that If you prefer one-on-one help and teaching, be sure to check out our MyTeacher program to get the most out of your learning experience!
Best of luck with your language-learning journey!
Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.
FAQs
How do you say hi what's up in German? ›
- = Hey, was geht? (slang)
- = Hey, was geht ab?” (slang)
- = Yo, was geht ab? (slang)
"Guten Tag" (Good day) or “Hallo” (Hello) are the most common verbal greetings used in Germany. In the South, some people may say “Grüß Gott” (literally translating as 'Greet God'). In formal situations, one should address another person with their title and last name, “Herr” (Mr.) for men and “Frau” (Mrs.)
What do Germans say when they meet someone? ›Greetings and goodbyes such as Hallo “hello”, Guten Abend “good evening” or Willkommen “welcome” as well as Tschüss, “goodbye”, or Bis bald “see you soon” are often used to say nice to meet you.
How do you say good morning in German slang? ›Good morning in German slang
There's no real slang word for “Good morning” in German. Instead of saying “Guten Morgen”, you would just shorten it to “Morgen”.
- Mein Name ist Anna. (s) My name is Anna.
- Ich komme aus Deutschland. (s) I'm from Germany.
- Ich lebe in Berlin. (s) I live in Berlin.
- Ich lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch. (s) ...
- Ich lerne Deutsch auf GermanPod101.com. (s) ...
- Hallo, es ist schön, Sie kennenzulernen. (s) ...
- Ich bin 27 Jahre alt. (s) ...
- Ich bin Lehrer. (s)
The best preparation you can do is to practice speaking German as much as possible. Practice with your friends, speak German in the shower or even record yourself on your phone. A good challenge can be to pick a theme, time yourself and see can you speak aloud for 1 minute on that theme.
Is German hard for English speakers? ›German is closely related to English. Both German and English are part of the West Germanic language family. So, this is actually one of the biggest reasons why German is easy to learn for English speakers.
Is German a polite language? ›Germans are quite particular about showing proper respect towards others. This is directly reflected in the language itself, which allows the speaker to make a clear distinction between the formal and informal way of saying 'you. ' Knowing when and how to use the correct form will go a long way in polite communication.
What is the German greeting for lunch time? ›What does it mean? Die Mahlzeit (which sounds like this) is made up of the words Mahl - meal - and Zeit - time, so it refers to the time that you eat (meal time), although it's not strictly limited to that. It is often used as a general greeting around lunchtime (say, 11am until 2pm).
How do you ask everything alright in German slang? ›#9 Alles Klar? - “Everything alright?” in German
This greeting, which literally means “all clear?” is a casual way to say hello in German and is often used by younger Germans.
How are you in German with respect? ›
If you want to ask “How are you” in German in a formal context, when you don't know the other person, you can ask “Wie geht es Ihnen?”. To be more specific, you can add “Wie geht es Ihnen heute Abend” (How are you tonight) for example or use a number of different variations, depending on the context.
What is considered rude or polite in Germany? ›Basic Etiquette
It is rude to chew gum or keep one's hands in one's pockets whilst talking with someone. Cross your legs by putting one knee over the other. It is impolite to rest your feet on furniture. Tight punctuality (Pünktlichkeit) is expected in most professional and social situations.
From the first drink to the fourth round, don't forget a quick “Prost!” or “Ein Prosit” before taking your first sip. Always make eye contact when toasting. Don't toast with water. It's considered bad luck in Germany.
What do Germans call their mates? ›Schatz is the most common German term of endearment, according to surveys. Couples all over the country call each other this pet name or one of its many cute forms, such as Schätzchen (little treasure) or Schatzi (little treasure).
What is the 1 word order in German? ›In regular German word order, German follows the rule of Subject - Verb - Object, which means, the subject usually comes first, then the verb describing what the subject is doing, then the object that is being "verbed". This is the same in English.
What is the most difficult word to say in German? ›1. Eichhörnchen (Squirrel) Although squirrel is also tough to pronounce in English, it's a classic when it comes to difficult German words to pronounce. Many English speakers struggle, and some even consider this the hardest German word to pronounce.
What is the easiest German word to say? ›- Hallo – Hello.
- Danke – Thank You.
- Nein – No.
- Ja – Yes.
- Lecker – Delicious.
- Woche – week.
- Heute – today.
- Morgen – tomorrow.
When someone says danke, the standard response is bitte. This normally means 'please', but within the context of responding to a 'thank you', it means 'you're welcome'. If instead they say danke schön, then you should reply by saying bitte schön.
How do you thank someone in German? ›- Danke — Thank you / Thanks.
- Danke schön / Danke sehr — Thank you kindly / Thank you very much.
- Vielen Dank — Many thanks.
- Besten Dank — Best thanks.
- Vielen Dank im Voraus — Many thanks in advance.
- Tausend Dank — Thanks a million.
- Danke für… —
The usual answer to a "thank you" is "you are welcome." In Germany, people will look at you and say, "bitte sehr" or "bitte schön." The expression "gern geschehen" is also very common. It literally means "I gladly did," and Germans sometimes use the short form "gern."
How do Germans greet each other in the evening? ›
Guten Abend means good evening and is used starting at about 6 p.m.
How do you end a conversation in Germany? ›BONUS: Different ways to end a conversation in German
Dich is the informal you and Sie is the polite you. Alternatively, you can say “Es freut mich”, “hat mich gefreut, dich”, or “Sie kennen zu lernen”. This is a more formal way to exit the conversation. To part with someone close to you, Germans say Mach's gut.
Hallo is the simplest and most straightforward way to say 'hello' in German. It's short, sweet, and common across the entire German-speaking world. Besides, it's friendly and can be used successfully in any social situation – either formal or informal.
Does the German language have a word for sorry? ›In German, you can say “Entschuldigung” or use the more informal abbreviation “'Tschuldigung”. The English word “Sorry” works, too. You'll hear it a lot, especially among younger people.
What is the word for leaving without saying goodbye? ›ABSQUATULATE: (v.) to leave without saying goodbye. See more.
How do you end a friendly message in German? ›Mit besten Grüßen
This one translates to “best regards” or “with kind regards” in English.
“schönen Tag noch!”
What does Bitteschön mean in German? ›bitte schön you're welcome.
How do you greet someone for the afternoon in German? ›“Afternoon” in German is “der Nachmittag”. Therefore, if you wish someone a good afternoon in German, it would be “guten Nachmittag”.
How can I impress a German person? ›- Gifts are definitely Willkommen.
- Greet the German way.
- 3. ' Keep your hands where we can see 'em'
- Don't forget to make eye contact.
- Knowing when it's time to dig in.
Is it easy to learn German on your own? ›
German is very closely related to English. They're in the same language family called West Germanic. The two languages share common words, sentence structures, and an extremely similar alphabet. So, since you already know English, learning German by yourself won't be hard at all.
How can I practice German speaking by myself? ›- Hear and Repeat German Letter Sounds. ...
- Stockpile Some Easy “Framework Words” ...
- Expand Your Vocabulary with Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives. ...
- Take Advantage of Spaced Repetition. ...
- Start Putting Sentences Together. ...
- Memorize Reusable Phrases for Speaking German.
The Swiss German accent is generally considered to be a little simpler than the Standard German as in the Swiss dialect, there are only two verb tenses: the past (perfect) and the present. The Swiss dialect also doesn't have a genitive case. Swiss German is clear and easy to understand.
How do you politely get someone's attention in German? ›The phrases above also work for attracting someone's attention in German, although more informally you might just want to shout Hallo! or Hey! If you are trying to attract the attention of one person in particular, use Herr xxx or Frau xxx. Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Schumm!
How long does it take to learn how do you speak German? ›German is rated as a category 2 language and considered to be similar to English. The FSI estimates that German takes approximately 30 weeks, or 750 classroom hours to learn. This study was conducted on a group of language students who spent 25 hours per week in class, and three hours daily on individual practice.
How can I learn German fast? ›- Know Your Goal - And Plan How to Get There. ...
- Study Daily. ...
- Prioritize Key Words. ...
- Start Talking from the Beginning. ...
- Study Vocabulary Daily. ...
- Use Free Apps and Tools. ...
- Develop Activities That Target Your Learning Styles and Schedules. ...
- Treat Mistakes Like Free Lessons.
Global Peace Index ranks 163 countries based on their overall level of peacefulness; Germany was ranked 16th in 2022. The crime rate is low, and Germans place a high value on law and order. Some areas are always more dangerous than others, but Germany is generally a very safe place.
What is the best way to learn German? ›- 1) Take a German language course. ...
- 2) Download a German language learning app. ...
- 3) Listen to German podcasts. ...
- 4) Watch German movies and tv. ...
- 5) Take German Classes Online. ...
- 6) Speak German with Native speakers. ...
- 7) Experience German culture by traveling.
Germany – more than 80 million speakers. Austria – 8 million speakers. Switzerland – 4.6 million speakers. Belgium – 75.000 speakers.
How do you politely ask a German if they speak English? ›“sprichst du Englisch?”
What is the most polite language in the world? ›
In addition to that, Indonesian is considered one of the most polite languages. That's not surprising, because Indonesians are known for their politeness. If you're excited to be immersed in the Indonesian language, you can go to Indonesia or East Timor.
What does ich bin guten mean? ›English translation:I'm good / I am good.
What does guten haben mean? ›Translation of "Guten haben" in English. good guys.
How to respond to whats up in German? ›You can respond to “Wie geht's” with just a few words or you can tell your conversation partner all about your day. It is common and even expected to follow up any answer with “und dir/Ihnen?” (what about you?) or with “und selbst?” (and yourself?). What is this?
What does guten tagen mean? ›German interjection
gu·ten Tag ˌgü-tən-ˈtäk. : good day : good afternoon : hello.
Because saying “Guten Appetit” before a meal in German is mandatory. You can also say “zum Wohl” (good health) or “Mahlzeit” (mealtime), particularly at lunch. Another mandatory German saying is the “Prost!” when you clink glasses.
What do Germans say when they start eating? ›Guten Appetit!
Wait for everyone to be seated and have food on their plates before you begin to eat or drink. It is customary for the host or someone to say “Guten Appetit!” (“Enjoy your meal!”) before anyone takes the first bite.
When someone says danke, the standard response is bitte. This normally means 'please', but within the context of responding to a 'thank you', it means 'you're welcome'. If instead they say danke schön, then you should reply by saying bitte schön.
How do you yell at someone in German? ›- Quatsch! Pronounced like “Kvatch,” this is one of the more commonly used terms when showing your angry side. ...
- Schleich dich! ...
- Hau ab! ...
- Ich bin sauer. ...
- Ich bin wütend. ...
- Halt deinen Mund. ...
- Geh mir aus den Augen! ...
- Leck mich!
Do not say Ich bin gut. Even though it is a direct translation of I'm good, it has an entirely different meaning to Mir geht es gut. Ich bin gut implies that you're good (at something) rather than that you're feeling good.
How do you politely decline in German? ›
Nein danke
It is most often used to decline something that was offered to you.
cheat day {noun}
volume_up Cheatday {m} [slg.] volume_up Betrüger-Tag {m} [slg.]
[baː] , bäh [bɛː] interjection. 1. ( aus Schadenfreude) hee-hee (inf); (vor Ekel) ugh.
What does Herrlich Willkommen mean? ›Herzlich Willkommen adverb. warm welcome (Begrüßung) Sie hieß sie herzlich willkommen. She extended a warm welcome to them.