How to say how in german

How to say hello in German in a way that sounds cool

Yeah, we can all say ‘Guten Tag’.

Even someone who can’t tell the difference between ‘moin’ and ‘moi’ will quickly utter a Guten Tag and claim to know some German.

And we also know the over-used and over-repetitive ‘Hallo’ and ‘Hi’.

That’s why today I want to take you through other ways on how to say hello in German, that the average Joe can only guess about, so that you don’t just say hello, but say it with some style.

There are many ways to say hello in German – slang, formal, and informal ways.

How to say hello in German and impress others

Hallöchen

If you are wondering how to say hello in German and the basic hello sounds too lame, why don’t you spice it up to Hallöchen?

Yeah, do that and watch the reaction you will receive.

If your intention is to sound cool, you surely will strike a point with this.

If you also want to know some cool ways of saying goodbye in German, check the pink link.

Halli-hallo

Another way you can sound like the fresh prince of Arabia is by twisting your Hallo into something that sounds like it came straight from the story of Ali Baba or Aladdin.

Moinsen

A common greeting in the North for example in Hamburg, which is not only a city but also a state of Germany. This phrase will instantly get heads turning when you say it.

Because people from southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland cannot really understand it.

And also, because it’s a phrase which doesn’t have a direct translation in English and so is only used by people who understand it.

So, just say ‘Moinsen’, and your friends will respond with the same and if they don’t understand it, they will answer with a frown.

Just tell them it’s a casual ‘what’s up’, or ‘how’s it going’ and then they will be quite impressed.

Other than ‘Moinsen’, if you are wondering how to say hi in German and sound like you are from the North, you could say ‘Moin’.

And to add some cool to it, you may double it up to ‘Moin Moin’.

Just don’t blame me for the stares and the smiles that you’ll get.

Servus

Sliding down to southern Germany you come across cobblestones, smoky chimneys and a rather unusual word, ‘Servus’.

This is how to say hello in German if you want to sound like you just ate Käsespätzle and you’re feeling good about it.

Or in other words, it’s a way to say that you know a bit of German in a way most people don’t and they should respect you for that.

Was ist los?

I’ve already introduced you to a number of unique ways on how to say hi in German.

‘Was ist los?’ is also another one, but you should only use this phrase with your friends and colleagues, but never in a formal setting or with someone who is senior to you.

Wie geht es dir? / Wie geht’s dir?

This literally means ‘how goes it you?’, and you could pull it off anytime in a casual setting.

People are used to ‘Wie geht’s?’, and so adding the ‘dir’ brings out a certain flair to your greeting.

Obviously ‘Wie geht’s?’ is a shortening of ‘Wie geht es dir?’, but you’ll be surprised at how many people don’t even know that.

There is also a formal version, which is ‘ Wie geht es Ihnen? ’.

So, pay attention to the ending and be sure to use the right one in a given context.

Need more unique ways on how to say hello in German?

I have prepared a more comprehensive article with lots of examples as well as regional differences on how to say hello in German.

For instance, I have shown you what they say in the South and the North, but do you know what they say in Berlin?

You will also find over 40 unique ways to say good morning / good day in German and leave a wake of impressed people behind you.

What’s the point in saying a unique hello if you can’t say an equally unique good day?

Find it all here: over 40 equally unique ways to say good morning in German.

How to Say “How Are You” in German – And How to Answer

“How are you?” is one of the phrases we use most often. Not a day goes by that we don’t ask this question. It’s polite. It’s customary. It’s what we do.

If you are someone who is learning German, you’ve probably wondered how to say how are you in German. Like in English, there are a couple of ways you can ask this question. Some are formal, some informal, and some are a bit out there. In this article, I will take you through these, explain how best to use them, and give you some helpful tips. Soon, you’ll be asking people how are you in German with the confidence of a native speaker.

Before you get started

Before you go out there and start asking people how they are, you need to know a couple of things about Germans and Germany.

The main one is that Germans ask others how they are way less often than we (English speakers) do. In the US and the UK, we often ask how are you as a way to start a conversation. It’s almost a part of saying hello. You greet someone; you ask them how they are; then you get on with the conversation.

It’s different in Germany. Over there, you mainly ask your friends how they are. Or people that you haven’t seen in a while. Rather than it being a small-talk starter, how are you is considered a genuine question by Germans.

The chances are that if you ask a German how they are, you will get a very honest answer. If you’re expecting them to say, I’m good, how are you? you’re in for a surprise. What you might get is closer to a personal essay about their messed up sleeping schedule and the new gardening tool they just bought.

Check out this short video by Radical Living if you want to see what you might unleash when you ask a German how they are. It’s both hilarious and 100% accurate.

Formal version of how are you in German – Wie geht es Ihnen?

This is the most common way to ask how are you in German. The sentence has both formal and informal versions – let’s start with the formal.

Wie geht es Ihnen? is a question you would ask in a formal setting. Think work, school, or bank. If you don’t know a person very well, this is the sentence you should go with.

Example:

Informal ways to say how are you in German

Wie geht es dir?

This is the informal version of Wie geht es Ihnen? It’s your standard way to ask how are you in German when you’re talking to your friends, classmates, co-workers, or family members.

Dir is the Dative version of du which is the pronoun you use in informal settings. In the previous example, we used Ihnen – the Dative version of Sie, used in formal situations. To learn more about German pronouns, check out our Complete Guide to Understanding German Pronouns.

Example:

Wie geht’s?

If you think that saying all of Wie geht es dir? is a bit of a mouthful, I’ve got good news! You can say Wie geht’s? instead. It’s a shorter, snappier, and slightly more informal way of asking your friend how they are.

As you can tell, the sentence starts the same – wie and geht are still used. Then, instead of saying all of es, you can shorten it to ‘s. Last but not least, you leave out the dir. Who needs it, right? I know you’re talking to me.

Example:

Difference between Wie geht es dir? and Wie geht’s?

If you’re wondering which one of the two you should be using, this section is for you.

It’s simple: You use Wie geht es dir? when talking to people that you are friendly with, but perhaps not the closest with. Think distant relatives or co-workers.

Wie geht’s? is used with your closest friends or your siblings.

There is not much difference between the two, but as a general rule, you can remember that the shorter the sentence, the less formal it is.

Wie läuft’s?

Wie geht’s? uses the word gehen, which means to go. If you’re looking for a fun alternative to that well-used phrase, you can use Wie läuft’s? instead. Laufen means to run – it’s similar to gehen but perhaps a bit more casual and playful. You could translate it to English as How you doing?

Wie ist die Lage?

This phrase is used mainly by younger people and is super informal and colloquial. It literally means: How is the situation? but a more accurate translation would be What’s up? or How is it going?

Wie schaut’s aus?

If you’re looking for a way to ask how are you in German without implying that you want an hour-long monologue about the other person’s life, this is the one for you. It literally means how is it looking, and you can expect it to be answered with a simple ok or a quick fill-in on what’s going on right now.

Finally, if you truly want to sound like a native speaker, this is how you can ask how are you in German slang. Na is a confusing word that has many meanings while also having no meaning at all. It can be used in different ways, including asking someone how they are. Be careful to only use this one in the most informal situations. Your boss would not appreciate you saying Na?

Ways to answer how are you in German

Now that you’ve learned how to ask the question, you also need to know how to answer it. Otherwise, you might get into an awkward situation when someone asks Und du? (And you?) and you just stare at them.

Mir geht es gut.

The most direct way to answer Wie geht es dir/Ihnen? What you’re doing here is replicating the sentence structure of the question and turning it into an answer.

Careful! 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. This is a common mistake many English speakers make, and it’s important that you avoid it. Always say Mir geht es gut.

Gut./Schlecht.

Instead of using an entire sentence to express yourself, you can keep it short and just use the adjective. Use gut when you’re feeling good, and schlecht when you’re in a bad mood.

Nicht schlecht.

This one means not bad. You can use it as a more neutral answer.

Es geht./Geht so.

If you’re not doing great, but it could be worse, you can go with one of these. They mean so so and are a bit more non-committal.

Other fun ways to ask how are you in German

Once you’ve mastered all the common ways to ask and answer the question, you might want to look into some of the more colloquial phrases that Germans use. Be warned: some of these make absolutely no sense!

Wie geht’s, wie steht’s?

When asking a German how they are, we use the word gehen (to go). So, why can’t we use stehen (to stand) as well?

This way of asking how are you in German is a lot of fun. First of all, it rhymes. Second of all, it’s super cheesy. It feels like a dad joke that went viral and never left the German vocabulary. It’s not the most common way to ask someone how they are, but if you’re in a particularly jovial mood, this is the phrase you might go for.

Alles im grünen Bereich?

If you’ve ever driven a car in Germany, you might be aware of their Emissions Sticker system. The good, less polluting cars get a green sticker, and the most polluting vehicles get a red one. Cars that fall in between get a yellow one.

This phrase references this system. There are low-emissions (or green) zones in Germany that only certain cars can enter. This way, those zones are kept healthier and less polluted. When you ask Alles im grünen Bereich? you’re literally asking if everything is in the green zone. That’s nice, isn’t it? Like you’re hoping that someone’s life isn’t too polluted. How very German!

Alles in Butter?

This one is my all-time favourite. It means Everything in butter? And who doesn’t love butter? Granted, this phrase makes a little less sense than all the other ones but at the same time… if you can ask someone how they are by referencing everyone’s favourite spread, why not just go for it?

To learn even more ridiculous ways to ask how are you in German, watch this video by DontTrustTheRabbit. Some of the ones she mentions involve things like stocks, art, and even bras.

Learn more

Knowing how to say how are you in German is great, but it’s also not enough to be fluent. Luckily, we have lots more posts to keep you occupied and help you learn some other common and useful German phrases. You can start with these:

Clozemaster has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in German.

German Greetings: 10 Ways to Say “Hello” in German

written by
Benny Lewis

How do you say “hello” in German? There are many options, from a simple hallo to a friendly alles klar to a regional “hello” like servus or na.

1. Hallo – “Hello”

This is the simplest way to say “hello” in German. It’s a friendly, all-purpose greeting that can be used in pretty much any situation, formal or informal.

2. Guten Tag – “Good day”

Guten Tag is the German “hello” that’s best-known to English speakers. It’s slightly formal, but only slightly.

Guten means “good” (it’s the masculine accusative form of gut). Easy! Now just add the right word for the time of day:

A common question: why is it guten Tag and not gut Tag? I.e., why is it guten (the accusative form of the adjective) and not gut (the nominative)?

First of all, note that Morgen, Tag, and Abend are all masculine nouns, so we know that gut must be masculine in all three phrases. But what case are the nouns?

Think about it like this. When you say “good day” to somebody, what are you actually saying? Probably something like “I wish you a good day”. In German that’s ich wГјnsche dir einen guten Tag.

In that sentence the word Tag is the direct object of the verb wГјnsche, so it (and any associated adjectives) must be accusative. Therefore we must use the masculine accusative form of gut, i.e. guten. Simple!

3. Alles klar – “All clear”

If you live or travel in Germany, you’ll hear people saying alles klar all the time. It means “everything (is) clear!”.

It can be used as a question (alles klar?) a statement, or merely to fill empty space. What we care about here is that it’s also used as a greeting, especially by young people.

Greeting someone with “alles klar?” is a lot like greeting someone with “what’s up?” in English. The best way to answer alles klar? is with a simple ja, meaning “yes”. You could also reply with “Ja, alles klar, danke, meaning “Yes, everything is good thanks.

4. Was ist los? – “What’s up?”

Was ist los? is hard to translate directly.

The adjective los roughly means “separate” or “free”. Asking someone was ist los? is like saying “what’s up?” or “what’s going on?”, very similar to greeting someone with alles klar?

The confusing thing is that was ist los? can also mean “what’s the matter?”, i.e. it implies that you perceive that something is strange or wrong.

However, from the context and the tone of voice it’s usually obvious which meaning of was ist los? is being used.

It’s similar to how some English speakers, especially Brits, use “are you alright?” (or just “alright?”) as a greeting. Depending on the context, “are you alright?” may be a genuine question and a sign of concern. But when used as a greeting, it probably doesn’t require a thought-out answer.

5. Wie geht es dir? – “How’s it going?”

“How does it go to you?” is the literal translation of this essential German phrase. You can guess at a better translation: this is a common German way of saying “how’s it going?”

When you use dir, it’s informal. In a more formal situation, you should probably say wie geht es Ihnen?

When informally addressing a group, say Wie geht es euch?

The phrase is often shortened to wie geht’s? The easiest response is a simple gut, danke – “good, thanks”.

6. GrГјГџ Gott! – “God bless you”

Within and between the German-speaking countries, there’s a lot of linguistic and cultural diversity.

Not every greeting is in equal use across the entire Germanosphere. So for the next few items on this list, we’ll look at some greetings that are unique to certain areas.

GrГјГџ Gott is an expression that’s mainly used in Bavaria (south-eastern Germany) and Austria. Literally, it means something like “greetings (from) God”. A better, less literal translation is “God bless you”. It’s a very formal way of saying hello.

Bavarians also use GrГјГџ dich!, which essentially means “greetings to you!”. This is less formal, but it tends to be used more by the older generation than the younger.

7. Servus – “At your service”

Servus is Latin for “servant”, and its use as a greeting comes from a Latin phrase meaning “at your service”.

Like GrГјГџ Gott, servus is mainly used in Bavaria and Austria. It can also be used to say goodbye

8. Moin! – “Hi!”

Let’s move to the other end of the German map. Moin is a common greeting in northern Germany, especially in and around Hamburg. You also sometimes hear people doubling it up: moin moin!

The origins of the word “moin” are uncertain. Many think that it comes from a regional pronunciation of Morgen (“morning”), but it’s possible that it also comes from a Low German word meaning “good”.

Whatever the case, you can use moin at all times of day. The people of Schleswig-Holstein will love you for it.

9. Na – “Hi, how are you? Fine thanks, how are you?”

Na is another regional German greeting. It’s common in the north, and people from Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland tend to struggle with it. I can’t blame them, because it’s hard to explain.

There’s no easy way to translate na into English. It’s best explained by example: when two (northern) Germans meet, one might say “na”, to which the other replies “na” – and then the conversation begins. It’s like “hey”, “how are you?”, and “fine, thanks” all rolled into one versatile syllable. Germans are famous for their efficiency, after all.

10. Hier ist… – “It’s…”

This one might not technically count as a greeting, but it’s still worth including, because you’re likely to say it when meeting someone… but only if you’re not meeting face-to-face. Let me explain:

Imagine you’re calling, texting, emailing, or otherwise communicating at a distance with someone who already knows you. If they don’t recognise your voice/number/address, what do you say to let them know who it is?

In English I’d say “it’s Benny”, but you can’t translate this directly into German (i.e. I can’t say es ist Benny). Instead I’d have to say hier ist Benny – “here is Benny.”

This is a subtle detail, but it’s absolutely something you should know!

11. TschГјss – “Goodbye”

Now let’s look at some ways to say “goodbye” in German. Probably the most common way to do this is to say TschГјss – “bye”!

Don’t be intimidated by the spelling. The cluster of consonants “tsch” is pronounced just like a “ch” in English.

12. Ciao – “Bye”

Ciao is Italian in origin, but it’s common in Germany, as it is in many other parts of Europe!

13. Auf Wiedersehen – “See you again”

Wieder means “again” and sehen means “to see”. So auf wiedersehen essentially means “when we see each other again!”

While this is a well-known phrase that every German will understand, it’s very formal-sounding and a bit old-fashioned.

14. Bis bald – “See you soon”

This literally means “until soon”. So it’s like saying “see you soon!”. It’s a friendly, informal way of saying goodbye.

Benny Lewis

Founder, Fluent in 3 Months

Fun-loving Irish guy, full-time globe trotter and international bestselling author. Benny believes the best approach to language learning is to speak from day one.

Speaks: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Esperanto, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language, Dutch, Irish

How to say «how are you?» in German

Watch Video: «how are you?» in German

Examples & Rules: How to say «how are you?» in German

How do you say «how are you?» in German

Do you wonder how to ask someone in German how they feel? In this section, you will find examples of how and when to use «wie geht es dir?» and «wie geht’s?» We have also listed regional and slang options to ask how you are in German. Would you like to know how to address a person correctly? Just choose the situation and whom you are addressing.

This is the informal, singular version of «how are you doing?» and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Most people tend to use the short version, which you can find as another example. A specific example is when talking to neighbors: «Hallo Herr Maier, wie geht’s?» or if at work, the «du» was discouraged for some reason. To sum up, “Wie geht es dir?” literally means: How is it going to you?

at home, at a party, at work, at a wedding

This is the very formal, singular version of «how are you?» The apostrophe in «geht es» to «geht’s» is used optional. You use this question in formal contexts when you have a small talk with your boss, or when you are talking to someone unknown.

at work, at school, with colleagues

If you address more than one person informally, you use the informal form «Wie geht es euch?» Here, you address known groups of two or more people, especially if you address the people with «du», even at work if the «du» was discouraged for some reason.

with friends, at home, at a party

The question «Wie geht es Ihnen?» is mostly used in a formal context. If you address more than one person formally, you use the formal form «Ihnen». This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also the questions asked during a first meeting.

at home, at work, on the phone, at the office, at school, with colleagues

The question «wie geht es Ihnen allen?» is mostly used in a formal context. If you address more than one person formally, you use the formal form «Ihnen». This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also the questions asked during a first meeting.

at home, at work, on the phone, at the office, at school, with colleagues

This is the short version of «how are you?» and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Other situations are talks with the neighbors: «Frau MГјller, wie geht’s?» or if at work if the «du» was discouraged for some reason: «Hallo. Wie geht’s?” The short version is: «Wie geht’s?» In this case, the «wie» means “how”, «geht» comes from «gehen», which means to go or to walk, and the “‘s» comes from «es», which means it.

at home, at a party, at work, at a wedding

«Na?! Was geht?» is a question used by hip people and is considered very colloquial. Literally, it means, «Well? What’s up?» «Na» as a word is almost meaningless: it is the way you pronounce it that gives it meaning. By itself, «Na?» means something like, «Huh?» or «Well?».

Happy В
‍
Cheerful

at school, with friends, at a party

«Wie schaut’s aus?» is a question that is used by young and elderly people or is considered very colloquial. It means, «How does it look?» You would use these questions if you are not that interested in the person’s feelings, but more in what they are doing.

at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends

«Wie ist die Lage?» is an informal question used by young people or people from the working class, and is considered very colloquial. Literally, it means: «What is the situation?»

at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends

How to answer «how are you?» in German

Here, you will find examples of how to answer «wie geht es dir?» We have listed options like «Mir geht es gut» or «Alles gut» to show you the difference. Would you like to know how to address a person correctly, just choose between the situation and addressing.

This is the informal, singular version of answering «Wie geht’s?» and it is used to greet friends, relatives, and younger people. Other situations are talks with neighbors, or if at work, the «du» was discouraged for some reason.

at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends

To answer in a formal context you can use the phrase «Danke der Nachfrage. Mir geht es gut.». This includes situations at work or between the teacher and student, but also in response to the questions asked during a first meeting. Danke der Nachfrage (Thanks for asking.) is a very polite addition to the statement that you are doing well.

at the office, at work, at home

This is the very formal, plural version to answer «how are you?» You use this answer in formal contexts when you have a small talk with your boss, or when you are talking to someone unknown.

at work, at school, with colleagues

If you answer more than one person informally, you can use this phrase. Here you are talking to people you know, especially if you address the people with «du», even at work if the «du» was discouraged for some reason.

at work, at school, at home

If you are not well, you can answer with a simple «schlecht». That means you are not well at all. In a conversation with strangers, you would not use the answer «schlecht».

at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends

If you are fine, you can answer with a simple «Alles gut». That means you’re just fine, but it is also a polite answer.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

«Mir geht es schlecht.» is used to show that something is wrong and that the person concerned is doing badly. This is actually only communicated among well-known people.

at home, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends

If you are fine, you can answer with a simple «gut». That means you’re just fine. But it is also a polite answer in small talk, on the phone or with friends. In this case you would just move to another topic instead of talking about your feelings.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

If you are doing well and are in a group, you can respond with a simple «Uns geht es gut.» That means you’re fine. But it is also a polite answer in group chat.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

If you are doing well, you can answer with a simple «Mir geht es gut. Danke.» That means you’re fine. But it is also a polite answer in small talk.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

If you are doing well and you are in a group, you can respond with a simple «Uns geht’s klasse.» That means you’re fine in a very short way. Literally, it means: we are going fantastic.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

If you are well, you can formally thank me with a simple «Gut. Vielen Dank. Und Ihnen?» That means you’re fine, but it is also a polite answer in small talk. If you are well, you can formally thank people with a simple «Gut. Vielen Dank. Und Ihnen?» That means you are fine, but it is also a polite answer in small talk.

at a party, at school, on the phone, with friends, at work

If you feel very well, you can answer with a simple «ausgezeichnet». This means that you are doing particularly well. In a conversation with unknown people, you would use the answer «ausgezeichnet» less.

at a party, at work, on the phone, with friends

«Geht so» is used to show that something is wrong and the person concerned needs to talk.

at a party, with colleagues, on the phone, with friends, at home

Practice German Dialogues

The following dialogue shows how to say, «how are you?» in German in a conversation. The meeting between the two people is coincidental.

The following dialogue shows a meeting with a colleague. In the small talk the formal «how are you?» is used in German.

Free e-book: 10 most important conversations in German

You have just learned how to say hello in German. Do you want to use the right vocabulary, perfect sentences, and correct grammar with your next conversation? The trick is to create your own German dialogue script, which you can easily learn! Afterward, you will be confident you will be successful in your next conversation. We have created the most important dialogues in German for you to help improve your conversation skills in German. Best of all, it is free!

E-Book with Customisable Dialogues

10 Most Important Conversations in German

Share the knowledge with your friends:

And did they like the examples of «Wie geht es dir?», «Wie geht`s» and «Was geht ab?»? Here we have more exciting topics for you.

When something happens to you, you want to stay polite, but how do you say sorry in German? One expression in German for sorry could be “Entschuldiung”. It is one of the most important words in the German language because it can be used for different questions and statements. Besides the distinction between the informal and formal form of apologizing and asking questions, you can practice talking in German and saying sorry. Just scroll down the page for the exercises. After you have looked at our examples and tried them out for yourself, you will be able to express yourself confidently.

Do you want to know how to greet someone in German? Would you like to say «Hello» to your friends in German or know how to greet people on a trip to Germany? Here, you can learn how to greet someone in German and how to strike the right note. We have provided an overview of where you can learn the difference between informal greetings and formal greetings. Whenever you meet someone informally, you can greet them with the word «Hallo!» In daylight, you can always say «Guten Tag!» and in the dark, you can say «Guten Abend», and when you go to sleep, you can say «Gute Nacht». Are you interested in more useful knowledge? There are also helpful videos, many audio examples, and exciting interactive exercises waiting for you.

You are planning your next trip to Germany and want to know the most important German phrases and words? Or you want to impress your colleague or family with your German skills? Here you will learn the German basics such as how to say hello or goodbye in German, but also the German numbers, the difference between formal and informal speech, and other important German basics. Watch the video first, listen to theВ correct German pronunciation with the audio recordings, and then don’t miss out on doing some speaking exercises to practice German for free.

How to say how in german

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:

Later on, the words change a bit, like so:

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?

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.

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:

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:

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:

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.

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.

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.

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:

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

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:

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:

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.

Just as with its English equivalent, this phrase is super-slangy and really shouldn’t be used in a formal situation.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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!

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.