Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Formal German greetings
• Method 2 of 3: Informal greetings
• Method 3 of 3: Regional differences
• Tips

If you live, work or are on holiday in Germany, it is important that you know the standard greetings in German. As with most languages, German distinguishes between formal greetings and greetings that you can use with friends and family. In this article, you can learn how to say hello in German in almost any way you can.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Formal German greetings

1. Know who you are talking to. Say these phrases when greeting people at work and people you don't know well. Most of these greetings are time dependent.
   • "Guten Morgen!" - Good morning!
     • This greeting is usually used until noon. In some parts of Germany this greeting is used until 10 am.
   • "Guten Tag!" - Good day!
     • This greeting is usually used between noon and 6 pm.
   • "Guten Abend." - Good evening.
     • This greeting is usually used after 6 pm.
   • When you write, don't forget that all nouns in German are capitalized.
2. Ask polite questions. In many languages, asking a question is often a polite way to say "Hello!" to say. This is no different in German.
   • "Wie geht es Ihnen?" - How are you? (formal)
   • "Geht es Ihnen gut?" - Are you doing all right?
   • "Sehr erfreut." - Nice to meet you.
     • You can give the following answers: "Gut, danke." - Good thank you.
       
       "Es geht mir sehr gut." - I am doing very well.
       
       "Ziemlich gut." - Pretty good.
   • When asked a question like this, it is customary to answer "Und Ihnen?" - And you? (formal).
3. Know proper physical greetings. In every culture or area, there is a different way to greet someone physically, whether it be bowing, hugging, or shaking hands. Germany is slightly different from the rest of Europe.
   • Germans generally prefer to greet people who are not relatives by shaking hands, rather than kissing each other on the cheek as is common practice in much of Europe. In many German-speaking countries people often greet each other by kissing each other on the cheek.
   • The rules for how much to kiss and when and who to kiss vary from place to place. When you first meet someone, you can usually just shake hands. Then watch other people do this. You will quickly recognize the pattern.

Method 2 of 3: Informal greetings

1. Use casual phrases when greeting family and friends. Some of the following greetings are used in most parts of Germany.
   • "Hey!" does not require translation and is the most commonly used greeting.
   • "Tomorrow," "Tag," and "'n Abend" are shortened versions of the time-varying greetings listed above.
   • "Sei grüßt." - Hail. (When you address one person)
   • "Seid grüßt." - Hail. (when you address more than one person)
     • "Grüß Dich" is translated into English as "I greet you." You can only use this greeting if you know the other person very well.
     • The "ß" (Ringel-s) is sometimes written as "ss" and is pronounced that way.
2. Ask questions. If you want to ask someone how they are doing, you have a few different options, just like in Dutch:
   • "Wie geht es dir?" - How are you? (informal)
   • "Who hath?" - How are you?
     • You can give the following answers: "Es geht mir gut." - I'm fine.
       
       "Nicht schlecht." - Not bad.
   • To answer a question, say "Und dir?" - And with you? (informal)

Method 3 of 3: Regional differences

1. Learn regional greetings. Germany has a rich and varied history, which is why different phrases and tropes are used in different regions.
   • "Moin Moin!" or just "Moin!" is another way to say "Hello!" to say in Northern Germany, Hamburg, East Frisia and nearby regions. You can use this phrase all day long to greet everyone.
   • "Grüß Gott" is translated in English as "God greeted you," and is seen in Bavaria in southern Germany as a way to greet everyone.
   • "Servus!" is another greeting you will only hear in southern Germany. It means "hello."

Tips

• “Hello” is often a semi-formal greeting these days. You can still use it to greet friends, as well as in stores, at the doctor's office, and in restaurants.