When you meet a foreigner in your country, the first thing you should do to make contact is to greet that person in their language. The same goes for when you find yourself in a foreign country – the first contact is a greeting. That’s why it’s important to know how to say greetings in German; to learn what to say and when, and what nuances to pay attention to.
There are two types of greetings in German: formal and informal. Greetings are usually taught immediately in the first class because, as I mentioned before, they are the basis for everyday communication – when meeting, when parting, when we need them, and when we introduce ourselves.
CONTENTS
Formal and informal greetings
Important greetings in German
Guten Morgen!
Guten Tag!
Mahlzeit!
(Guten) Abend!
Thoroughly informal greetings in German
What are the important farewell greetings in German?
(Auf) Wiedersehen
Tschüs(s)! / Tschau!
Reunions
Mach’s gut! / Machen Sie es gut!
(Gute) Nacht!
Formal and informal greetings
English only has a single second-person pronoun “you”, but like most other European languages, German makes a distinction between what is conventionally termed familiar and polite pronouns. In German, the familiar forms are “du” for singular and “ihr” for plural, while the polite form “Sie” is used for both singular and plural.
Since the loss of the old form “thou”, English has lacked any distinction of this kind.
The awareness of using the correct pronoun is very important. English-speaking learners of German need to determine which form is appropriate based on the context. The use of these pronouns is based on social convention, and it is important for English learners to understand that these conventions can differ significantly from those in the English-speaking world.
The use of “du” signals closeness, affection, and unity. When talking to friends or family members, people your own age or younger people, you can use informal greetings and the personal pronoun “du”. You can also address the person by name. To address more than one person informally, you must use the personal pronoun “ihr” (second person plural).
On the other hand, “Sie” indicates a certain social distance and, most importantly, respect rather than just ‘politeness’.
Therefore, using “du” in the wrong situation can sound disrespectful, intrusive of personal privacy, and even offensive.
Du is used when speaking to children, between relatives and close friends, between schoolchildren and students. Using du to another adult one has just met would usually be considered unacceptably rude.
The formal “Sie” is used with adult strangers, the older adults and generally with colleagues in an office, shop, or bank, particularly when using formal titles such as „Guten Tag, Herr Peters“ or „Auf Wiedersehen, Frau Winter“.
On the other hand, the informal “du” is used with first names. It’s not uncommon to use “Sie” with first names, especially when adults are addressing older teenagers or in trendy circles. There is also a trend of using “du” and first names on television chat shows to create a sense of familiarity, which differs from general usage.
Additionally, titles are often used instead of “Sie” in shops, restaurants, etc., to address customers.
For example:
Was wünscht der Herr?
Was darf es für die Herrschaften sein?
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Grammar Contents
Important greetings in German
Guten Morgen!
Good morning! This greeting is used in the morning until 10 o’clock. It belongs to the category of formal greetings in German, but there are situations when you address them informally.
For example, at work, you address your colleagues as GutenMorgen!, regardless of whether you address them as familiar“you” or polite“You”. The expected answer would be: (Guten) Morgen! or Hello!. Short version of Morgen! is less formal.
Guten Tag!
Good day! /Good afternoon! This is the most important polite greeting in German, it can be used all day from morning to night. There are also regional variants of this greeting such as:
Grüß Gott! – used in the south of Germany and in Austria,
(Moin) Moin! – used in the north of Germany.
What answers can we expect or give?
It’s usually Guten Tag! , this greeting can also be heard in a shortened version: Tag!, also in more relaxed and regional variants: Hallo!, GrüßGott!, Moin!
Mahlzeit!
This greeting is used at lunchtime. In Germany it is usually between 12 and 1 pm. You will often hear this greeting at work. You can use it in formal and informal situations. Also corresponds with Mahlzeit!.
(Guten) Abend!
Good evening ! It is used in the evening, approximately after 6 pm. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. Abbreviated version Abend! sounds more informal. Possible answers are for example: (Guten) Abend!, and also Hallo!
Thoroughly informal greetings in German
Hallo!/ Hi!/ Hey! / Na (, du)?
If you greet someone like this, it means that you know that person well. This type of greeting in German is used 24 hours a day. Tag! / Hallo! / Hi! / Hey! are the expected answers and greetings.
“Moinsen! “is used in the north of Germany, and “Servus! ” in the south. Next to “Servus! “in the south of Germany “Grüß dich!” is also often used “Grüß Sie! “. These greetings can be used 24 hours a day. Possible answers are “Servus!” when we greet an acquaintance, and “Hallo! “or “Guten Tag! ” when we greet an unknown person.
Habediehre – is an abbreviation of the phrase “Habe die Ehre” which is an abbreviation of “Ich habe die Ehre” (It is my honor.) In regions such as Bavaria and Swabia, the term is used more by older generations. Like Servus, Habediehre can also be used for well greetings.
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Grammar Contents
What are the important farewell greetings in German?
(Auf) Wiedersehen
“Auf Wiedersehen! ” can be used always, at any time of the day or night and means: “Goodbye!. ” You can answer this with “Tschüss! (Bye) / (Auf) Wiedersehen! (Goodbye!)/ (Auf) Wiederschauen! (Goodbye!) “. “Auf Wiederschauen! (Goodbye!) ” is often used in the south of Germany.
And one more very important thing, you will say “Auf Wiederhören“, (NOT Auf Wiedersehen) on the phone!
Tschüs(s)! / Tschau!
This is an informal greeting among friends, peers, even acquaintances you know a little better. Again there are differences in the south and north of Germany. And of course, they can be used anytime. In the south, Tschau! is preferred! (from Italian Ciao!). You can also hear “Pfiat di! / Pfiateich!” or “Servus!” In the north it is mainly “Tschüss!“.
Pfiat (pfüad) di Gott means “Behüt Dich Gott!”(God bless you!). Anyone who grew up in Bavaria and Austria will spontaneously say “GrüßGott” or “Griaß God” (instead of “Guten Tag”) or “Griaß di” (instead of “Hello”) when they meet. The parting greeting is “Pfia God” or “Pfiat di God, Pfiateich” (instead of “Goodbye”).
Reunions
If you are sure that you will meet the person again during the day, then say goodbye with:
“Bis gleich! (See you soon!) ” This refers to a very short time until we meet soon.
Or for example: “Bis heute Nachmittag! (See you this afternoon!) ” or “Bis heute Abend! (See you tonight!) “.
If we see each other soon, and that could be today, or tomorrow, these days, we say goodbye with: “Bis später! ” or “Bis nachher! (See you later!) “. And here we mean a short period of time until we meet again, but still somewhat longer than the previous one.
“Bis dahin! (Until then!/See you then!) ” There is no time defined for this greeting, we may see each other soon or only in a few days.
“Bis dann! ” works just like “Bis dahin! ” : But it could also mean that the time of the reunion is completely unknown.
Bis bald! – See you soon!
Bis Montag! (See you (on) Monday!) – you can specify any day here.
Bis nächste Woche! (See you next week!) – the interlocutors agreed to meet next week.
Bis zum nächsten Mal! ( See you ( next time!)) – You never know when, anytime.
Mach’s gut! / Machen Sie es gut!
This greeting is often used for acquaintances that are completely without any responsibility and obligations. Friendly, but completely non-binding. Time is not defined here, you can see each other tomorrow, and months can pass. This is more like a statement “See you” or “So long” And so you can answer “Wir sehen uns! ” or “Ja, bis bald! ” It can be used any day or night.
(Gute) Nacht!
Good night! The answer is the same: “(Gute) Nacht! “, or just “Nacht!. ” You can also add: “Schlaf gut! (Sleep tight!). “
I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to reach out, and I’ll be happy to assist you.
Bis zum nächsten Mal!
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