Everyday Greetings are the most common German phrases people use to say hello, goodbye, and ask how someone is doing. These phrases can be formal or informal, so you can use them with friends, family, or people you don’t know very well. Learning these greetings will help you start conversations and be polite in German.
In German, there are special greetings for different times of the day, such as morning, afternoon, and evening. There are also simple ways to say "hello" and "goodbye" at any time. You can even ask someone how they are as part of your greeting. Don't worry if you don’t know much grammar—just memorizing these phrases will make you sound friendly and respectful.
Toward the end of your conversation, it's common to use greetings goodbye or take care. These help you exit the conversation politely. Look for cues that the other person is wrapping up, like saying "Tschüss" or "Auf Wiedersehen," and respond in kind. This signals closure and shows good manners.
Here are the key categories of everyday greetings in German:
- Basic Greetings: Simple ways to say hello and goodbye.
- Time-Specific Greetings: Phrases for morning, afternoon, and evening.
- How Are You? Greetings: Polite questions about well-being.
- Informal Greetings: Casual phrases for friends and family.
- Farewells: Ways to say goodbye at the end of a conversation.
Basic Greetings
Basic greetings are simple words you can use anytime to say hello or goodbye in German. They work in many different situations and are a good place to start learning.
- "Hallo" means "Hello" and can be used with almost anyone.
- "Guten Tag" means "Good day" and is more formal.
- "Tschüss" means "Bye" and is informal.
- "Auf Wiedersehen" means "Goodbye" and is formal.
These basic greetings help you start and end conversations politely.
You can use "Hallo" with friends, family, or even people you don't know very well. For a more polite touch, use "Guten Tag," which literally means "Good day." When it's time to say goodbye, "Tschüss" is a friendly, informal option—you'd use this with people you're comfortable with. For formal situations, like in a business setting or with someone older, "Auf Wiedersehen" is the proper way to say goodbye, meaning "Goodbye until we see each other again."
Here are some basic greetings in German, no matter the time or formality level:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello |
| Guten Tag | Good day |
| Tschüss | Bye |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning |
| Guten Abend | Good evening |
Time-Specific Greetings
German has special greetings for different times of the day. Using these makes you sound more natural and polite.
- "Guten Morgen" means "Good morning" (used before about 10 or 11 am).
- "Guten Tag" means "Good day" (used from late morning until late afternoon).
- "Guten Abend" means "Good evening" (used from late afternoon or early evening onwards).
- "Gute Nacht" means "Good night" (used when going to bed).
These greetings all start with "Guten," which means "good," followed by the time of day. Saying the right one shows respect for German-speaking customs.
Here are the main time-specific greetings you'll hear throughout the day:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Guten Morgen | Good morning |
| Guten Tag | Good day |
| Guten Abend | Good evening |
| Gute Nacht | Good night |
How Are You? Greetings
These are polite questions you can add to your greeting to ask how someone is doing. They are useful for starting a simple conversation.
- "Wie geht es Ihnen?" means "How are you?" (formal).
- "Wie geht’s?" means "How’s it going?" (informal).
- "Wie läuft’s?" means "How’s it going?" (very casual).
- "Alles klar?" means "Everything alright?" (informal).
You can answer these with "Gut, danke" (Good, thanks) or "Nicht so gut" (Not so good), and then return the question if you like.
In German, it’s polite to use the formal "Sie" form with people you don’t know well ("Wie geht es Ihnen?"). With friends or family, you can use the informal "du" form ("Wie geht’s?"). These little questions show that you care about the other person's well-being and help keep the conversation going.
For a simple response to most of these questions, you can say “Gut, danke” (Good, thanks) or “Es geht” (It’s okay). Then you can ask, “Und dir?” (And you?) if you’re speaking informally, or “Und Ihnen?” if it’s a formal conversation.
Here are some common German questions for asking how someone is:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? (formal) |
| Wie geht’s? | How’s it going? (informal) |
| Wie läuft’s? | How’s it going? (casual) |
| Alles klar? | Everything alright? (informal) |
Which German phrase fits the blank? German: '___, Herr Weber?' English: 'How are you, Mr. Weber?' (formal)
Wie geht es Ihnen?
"Wie geht es Ihnen?" is the formal way to ask "How are you?" using the polite "Sie" form.
Informal Greetings
When you’re with friends, family, or people your own age, you can use these casual greetings. They sound relaxed and friendly.
- "Hi" means "Hi" and is used just like in English.
- "Na?" is like saying "Hey, what’s up?" in a very informal way.
- "Servus" is a casual hello/goodbye used in southern Germany and Austria.
- "Moin" is a northern German greeting for "hello" at any time.
These informal greetings are great for text messages, social media, or chatting with people you know well.
In German, informal greetings often use just one word or even a sound, like "Na?" which is very casual and used among close friends. "Servus" and "Moin" are regional greetings, so you might hear them if you travel in those parts of Germany. Using informal greetings shows that you’re comfortable with the other person and keeps the mood light.
Here are some informal German greetings you might hear among friends:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Hi | Hi |
| Na? | Hey, what’s up? |
| Servus | Hello/Bye (in southern Germany/Austria) |
| Moin | Hello (in northern Germany) |
Which German word fills in the blank? German: '___! Wie geht’s?' English: 'Hi! How’s it going?'
Hi
"Hi" is used just like in English for a casual greeting among friends.
Farewells
These are the common ways to say goodbye in German. Some are formal, while others are casual.
- "Tschüss" means "Bye" (informal).
- "Auf Wiedersehen" means "Goodbye" (formal).
- "Bis bald" means "See you soon" (casual).
- "Bis später" means "See you later" (casual).
- "Gute Nacht" means "Good night" (used when going to bed).
Using the right farewell helps you end the conversation politely and leave a good impression.
When saying goodbye, you can choose a simple “Tschüss” for friends or “Auf Wiedersehen” for more formal situations. If you plan to see the person again soon, “Bis bald” or “Bis später” are friendly ways to say that. “Gute Nacht” is only used if you’re parting ways for the night and going to sleep.
Here are some common German farewells for different situations:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Tschüss | Bye (informal) |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye (formal) |
| Bis bald | See you soon |
| Bis später | See you later |
| Gute Nacht | Good night |
Conclusion
Everyday greetings in German are simple phrases that help you start and end conversations politely. Whether you use formal or informal greetings depends on who you’re talking to. Using time-specific greetings and asking “How are you?” can make your German sound more natural. Remember to listen for cues like “Tschüss” or “Auf Wiedersehen” when the conversation is ending, and respond with a similar farewell. With these common greetings, you’ll be able to say hello and goodbye confidently in many situations.
Flashcards (1 of 23)
- English: Hello
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
