Greeting in German. German greetings and farewells, or Alles klar, mein Herr? How the Germans greet

After arriving in Germany, I quickly realized something. Young Germans never use the greetings I learned in school.

The only person who told me Guten Abend, there was an ice cream salesman who was old enough to be my grandfather. I quickly realized that Hallo– the best informal greeting in Germany, and Tschüss– a more typical farewell than an over-formal one Auf Wiedersehen.

Having learned these words, I stuck with them. When you first start learning a language, you repeat the same words all the time. And this is completely normal for a beginner. But after a while you get tired of your own meager vocabulary. If you are looking for greeting options ( Grüße) and goodbyes ( Abschiedsgrüße), here are some new opportunities for you.

Even if you've just started learning German, it can be helpful to learn all the variations so that when someone greets you with a friendly "Alles klar?", do not look at him in complete bewilderment (as I did several times until I understood what it meant), but answer confidently "Gut, danke!".

9 ways to say “Hello”

• Hallo

As mentioned above, this is the most common German greeting. It’s easy to pronounce and is suitable in almost any situation.

It turns out that the Germans say so too! Feel free to use Hi, communicating with young interlocutors in an informal setting.

• Guten Morgen / Guten Abend / Guten Tag

Literally translated "Good morning/evening/day". Although it can be assumed that Guten Abend means “Good night”, it sounds more old-fashioned for Germans and is closer to wishing good evening. Maybe you should save this expression for formal situations or when talking to people who are much older than you. When talking to someone you can call "sir" or "madam" Guten Tag may be an appropriate greeting.

• Wie geht es dir? / Wie geht es Ihnen?

This is how you say “How are you?” in German. Use dir when talking to someone younger than you or a good friend. Ihnen is an appropriate formal greeting for a stranger, especially an elder, or one in authority. In many English-speaking countries, it is customary to say “How are you?” anyone, including waitresses and salespeople. However, this is not as common in Germany, so it is better to use this greeting with people you know.

• Wie geht's?

Likewise Wie geht es dir, but more universal. It essentially translates to “How are you?” ( Geht's– shortened form geht es, So Wie geht's? literally means "How is it going?"). Ideal for colleagues and friends, but probably not cool with a new boss or super-stern teacher.

• Was it lost?

This greeting can be somewhat confusing. In colloquial speech it means the same as Wie geht's: How are you? How are you? How is it? Again, fits in well with young people in informal conversation. However, about “Was ist los?” you need to remember what this means and “What’s wrong?”, especially if you add "denn". “Was ist denn los?” usually means "What happened", "What's the matter?", and “Was ist hier los?” can be used in the same sense. But don't worry: in a conversation you will most likely be able to feel the difference in questions based on intonation and context.

• Alles klar?

Similar to Was ist los, Alles klar literally translates as “Is everything okay?”, but is often used as an informal greeting among young people. In this context, it generally means the same as the English “What’s up?”

• Grüß Gött / Grüß dich / Grüß Sie / Grüezi

I've included these expressions in the list for those who may find themselves in Austria, Switzerland or southern Germany where these greetings are used. Phrase Grüß Gott in northern Germany can surprise any of your interlocutors. Literally means "God greets you" and seems like an old-fashioned way to say "Hello!" to anyone not from southern Germany. However, you can definitely hear such greetings in places like Bavaria and Austria. Therefore, it is good to know them in case you visit these places. But remember: Grüß dich you can tell people with whom you communicated in an informal setting, but everyone else - Grüß Sie.

• Servus

This is also a “southern” greeting that can also be used as a “Goodbye.” Like Grüß dich, you can hear Servus in Bavaria and Austria, as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. Servus is Latin for "servant" and comes from a shortened version of the Latin phrase "at your service."

13 ways to say “Goodbye”

• Tschüss, Tschüssi

German equivalent of "Bye". Tschüss is a good, informal way to say goodbye in almost any situation.

• Ciao

In my experience, Ciao is extremely common in Berlin, where you can hear it probably as often as Tschüss. Apparently it comes from Italian, where it means hello and bye, but in many European countries people tend to use Ciao as a way to say goodbye.

• Auf Wiedersehen

As mentioned above, this is a rather old-fashioned and definitely atypical German farewell. Perhaps appropriate in formal circumstances. Think of it as "Goodbye!" Too formal for friends or colleagues, isn't it?

• Gute Nacht

Not as formal as Gute Morgen/Abend. This is the German version of "Good night".

• Bis bald/Auf bald

The equivalent of “See you soon.” A nice, informal way to say “Bye!” friends.

• Bis dann / Bis später

Both phrases mean "See you later." Exactly like Bis bald, this is a great way to say “Bye!” friends and informal acquaintances.

• Wir sehen uns

Another good way to say “See you soon!” If you add "dann", "Wir sehen uns dann", it will mean “See you then” (there), which can be a good way to say “Bye!” after planning something with someone.

• Bis zum nächsten Mal

It means “See you next time.” It's a way of saying "See you soon" and can be an appropriate way to say goodbye to someone you see regularly. For example, with a fellow student or colleague.

• Wir sprechen uns bald / Wir sprechen uns später

It literally means "We'll talk soon" or "We'll talk later." Equivalent to the English “Talk to you later”. A good way to end a phone conversation.

• Auf Wiederhören

It's basically "Let's talk later," another good way to say "Bye!" by phone.

• Schönen Tag (noch) / Schönes Wochenende

These are good ways to say “Bye!” almost anyone. Schönen Tag noch("noch" is optional, you may hear people say simply Schönen Tag) means “Good afternoon”, and Schönes Wochenende- "Good weekend". You'll often hear salespeople use these phrases. If a friend says this, you can answer “Dir auch!” (And you).

• Viel Spaß!

It means “I wish you had fun!” and can be used in many contexts. For example, when parting with friends going to a party, on a trip, etc.

• Gute Fahrt! / Gute Reise!

This means “Have a nice trip!” A nice way to say “Bye!” someone who is going on vacation or any trip.

So, you have just mastered the basic conversational phrases. What's next? If you're looking for a fun and entertaining way to continue beyond the "Hello!" and “Bye!”, you should go with one of our teachers.

Discreet and pedantic Germany, a country that millions of people from all over the world dream of visiting, at least for a week. There is everything for a great time here. Ski resorts, nightclubs, great restaurants, pubs and luxury hotels. Also in Germany there is a huge number of medieval buildings and other architectural monuments.

But knowing the German language, you will enjoy a tour of this country even more, or you can simply download a Russian-German phrasebook if you cannot master this language.

Our phrasebook can be printed directly from the site or downloaded to your device, and all this is completely free. The phrasebook is divided into the following topics.

Appeals

Common phrases

At customs

At the station

At the hotel

Walk around the city

In transport

In public places

Emergencies

Numerals

In the shop

Tourism

Greetings - the Germans are very friendly and welcoming people, and therefore you also need to know how to greet the inhabitants of Germany. Here are the words needed for this.

Standard phrases are common words that you can use during any conversation to keep it going.

Station - if you are confused by the signs and signs at the station, or don’t know where the toilet is, a buffet, or you need a platform, just find the question you need in this topic and ask a passerby how to get to this or that place.

Orientation in the city - in order not to get lost in the big cities of Germany, use this topic to find out from passers-by whether you are going in the right direction, etc.

Transport – if you don’t know how much the fare costs or want to find out which bus to get to your hotel or some attraction, find the questions you are interested in in this topic and ask them to passing Germans.

Hotel – a large list of useful questions and phrases that are often used during a hotel stay.

Public places - in order to clarify where the object or public place you are interested in is located, just find a suitable question in this topic and ask it to any passerby. Rest assured that you will be understood.

Emergency situations - it is unlikely that anything can happen to you in calm and measured Germany, but such a topic will never be superfluous. Here is a list of questions and words that will help you call an ambulance, the police, or simply inform others that you are feeling unwell.

Shopping – want to buy something you are interested in, but don’t know what its name sounds like in German? This list contains translations of phrases and questions that will help you make absolutely any purchase.

Numbers and figures - every tourist should know their pronunciation and translation.

Tourism – tourists often have all sorts of questions, but not everyone knows how to ask them in German. This section will help you with this. Here are the most necessary phrases and questions for tourists.

We have all, sooner or later, encountered such situations when you met a German and then you meet him again and don’t know what to say. These elementary words are important in everyday life in Germany and especially for people who have recently begun to become familiar with the German language
I hope that through this article you will learn about the different forms of greetings and farewells in the German language and German culture.
We will consider the following situations and where and what greetings and farewells are appropriate.

My advice for learning German: To get a good start, THIS (click) German language course for beginners will suit you. It covers all the practical topics of German and more importantly it has cool audios which helped me a lot in learning German.

So, the main areas of application of this article:
-family

-Friends

-Colleagues

-familiar

- couples

The basic structure of greetings in German looks something like this:
Guten Morgen!(good morning and pronounced “gutn morgen”) good morning in Germany is counted from dawn until lunch (until about 10:30) Guten Tag!(good afternoon, it sounds “gutn tag”) they speak from 10:30 until about 17:00-18:00 Guten Abend!(good evening, sounds “gutn abend”) from 18:00 until dark approximately 21:00-22:00. All these greetings are very appropriate to use if you don’t know many people and you don’t like them. An important exception to this situation is: Gute Nacht- this is not a greeting at night, but a wish for “good night” (when people go to bed). These three greetings are used everywhere and by everyone. At any German-speaking the country will understand you and this will be appropriate in any situation. There is one more small change to these greetings. These greetings are simply abbreviated in relation to friends and acquaintances (to whom they refer). It sounds like this: Morgen(Good morning), Tag(Good afternoon), Abend(Good evening). This is how Germans greet each other in central, western and eastern Germany in cities such as Münster, Hanover, Dresden, Berlin, Rostock, Cologne and Mainz.

Grüß Gott(sounds like “grus goth”) literally translated into Russian: “may God bless you” or “God’s blessing”, as well as “God’s greetings”. This greeting is most often used in cities such as Munich, Stuttgart, Wurzburg . In general, in the southern lands of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, this greeting is very common and is considered a tradition. You can use it at any time of the day. Mainly for people I already know.

A « Grüß Dich” (read: grus dich - “Greetings to you”) can be heard everywhere in Germany. Most often, this German greeting is used for friends or long-known people with whom communication takes place.

Servus(sevus) is a typical Bavarian greeting and is also often used in Austria. If we generalize this, then in those regions that are closer to the Alps. The word Sevus is used both for greeting and farewell.
Servus very often they speak to those people to whom they relate and with whom we are not acquainted. The history of this greeting dates back to the times of the Romans and in Latin, the word servus means “servant” or “servant.” Since the Romans at one time reached as far as England, and Germany was under Rome for a long time, but for some reason this word took root only in Bavaria And Austria. According to rumors they say that there was a much larger population at that time and there it took root.

Hello!(hallo). The most common greeting in Germany. It is used both for YOU and for You. You can easily say Hallo to your boss at work. English an analogue of this greeting Hello (hello, it is not used in Germany, but this is just an example)

Moin! / Moin Moin(sounds like “moin”) this word comes from the northern countries and is often used in the northern states and cities of Germany (Kiel, Hamburg, Lubeck, Flensburg, Rostock. You can use this word to friends, acquaintances and sometimes to strangers (most often it sounds disrespectful towards strangers). Any time of day is appropriate for this word. And if you really want to show your good mood, then say this word twice: Moin-moin!

Mahlzeit!(pronounced "malzeit") my experience of living in Germany shows that this greeting is pronounced at lunchtime and very often at meals. Very often they say it to colleagues, but I wouldn’t say that to my boss, for example.

Hi/Hey!(Hai/Hey) used among young people and at any time
Na? /Na du?!(Sounds like Na? And the second version is Na du?) This is also an interesting word and it has two meanings: 1) greeting. 2) question: how are you? This word is used to refer to friends or well-known people.

Since you’ve already read about greetings, it’s a shame you won’t learn about farewells in German:

aufWiedersehen(aufwiedasein) is one of the most common and universally appropriate farewells in the German language. From translation into Russian " auf Wiedersehen" means goodbye.

auf Wiederhören (aufvidahören - literally means let's hear) this farewell is used when speaking in phone. When you have finished a telephone conversation and are about to say goodbye and say auf Wiederhören (provided that the next time you talk on the telephone)

tschüss(Chus) is also a very common word that is used everywhere and will be understood everywhere. The origin of this word is from French And Spanish"Bye". Since before there was no Internet and people passed words from mouth to mouth, the result was a damaged phone. In this way, the farewell tschüss acquired its present form. The word is used to refer to familiar people and in most cases means this word “ Bye". For example, at a business meeting I would not use this word, but to colleagues at work it is already possible.

Tschau(ciao) This farewell takes its roots from Switzerland, and they, respectively, from Italy. This is rather not a formal farewell, so it is better to use it with acquaintances or friends.

Bis später(bis spat) means see you soon. They use it everywhere in Germany. And the meaning of this word is also interesting - this word is used to refer to people whom they will still see today.

Bis bald(Bis bald) means see you soon. But this farewell is already used when you don’t know when you will meet. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. In general, it is not defined. Distributed throughout Germany.

If you have ideas for writing an important article, write your idea in the comments and I will contact you

If you also want to hear how these words sound in German, then this video is at your service:

Learning foreign languages ​​starts with basic things like greetings and farewells. German is a very diverse language, so there are many ways to say “hello” and “bye”.

In addition, almost every region of Germany has its own unique words of greeting and farewell. Often these words have an interesting history and non-standard rules of use. If you want to travel freely in Germany, it is better to learn these standard etiquette phrases in advance.

In this lesson we will introduce you to the basic expressions that are used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Learning to say hello in German in an informal situation

Hallo. This is one of the most popular German greetings, an analogue of the Russian “hello”. Unlike the Russian version, Hallo is used not only in informal, but also in official settings.

This is how you can greet teachers, work colleagues, and even your superiors if you have friendly relations.

Hallöchen. In German, you can form new greetings based on already familiar expressions and words. For example, Hallöchen. This word is formed from Hallo (hello) + chen (diminutive suffix). This translates into Russian as “hello.”

Halli hallo. It sounds quite unusual and is an informal way of greeting among close friends.

Please note that during a friendly meeting, it is customary among German youth to hug and sometimes even kiss.

What else do Germans say when they say hello?

In addition to the greeting expressions and phrases themselves, Germans often ask non-binding questions, such as “how are you” or “how are you feeling?” Here are the most common questions:

Wie geht’ s? This is short for wie geht es dir/Ihnen (how are you/you doing). A very common expression that is often used in conjunction with friendly greetings such as "Hallo" or "Hi".

Wie steht’ s? Literally the expression is translated as “what it’s worth.” Nonsense right? This is because the phrase is a parody of the expression wie geht's, which literally means “as it goes”, i.e. "How are you". Very often wie steht's is used together with wie geht's in the same greeting, for example, "Hallo, wie geht's, wie steht's?"

Wohin des Wegs? This is not exactly a greeting, but rather a related question that can often be heard during a conversation between two acquaintances in Germany. It translates approximately as “where are you going” or “where are you going”.

How to say hello in Germany at work and during official meetings

Guten Morgen. This is one of the most familiar expressions to Russians, which translates as “Good morning.” Morning in Germany starts from 6:00 to 12:00.

Guten Tag. "Good afternoon" is one of the basic formal greetings in the German language. Used from 12:00 to 18:00.

Guten Abend. Another greeting based on the time of day. It is translated into Russian as “Good evening” and is used from 18:00 to 00:00.

All other time up to 6:00 is considered night. There is also a phrase for this time of day - Gute Nacht. As you might guess, it means “Good night” and is essentially not a greeting, but a farewell.

German also has shortened versions of formal greetings, such as Morgen, Tag, ‘n Abend. They are often used as a response to full greetings.

Mahlzeit. A popular greeting among good friends with a very interesting story. It comes from the expression "Gesegnete Mahlzeit", which is essentially a blessing before eating. Later, in the 19th century, the phrase was shortened to Mahlzeit, and even later it began to be used as a greeting in the middle of the day.

Please note that Mahlzeit is not commonly used in business or among office workers.

Regional greetings in Germany

The German language consists of a large number of mutually incomprehensible dialects. Even native speakers experience difficulties when meeting people from other regions. It is not surprising that almost every dialect has its own, unique greetings.

Grüß Gott. Approximate translation: "Greetings with God." The greeting came from Protestant backgrounds and is used today in the southern regions of Germany and Austria.

Grü ezi/ grü ezi miteinand. The Swiss version of the greeting translates as “hello.”

Servus. "Greetings" in Austrian.

Moin. Greetings to the north of Germany. Sometimes a double version of Moin moin is used.

The word Moin vaguely resembles the standard German Morgen, but, in fact, this similarity is coincidental and both greetings coexist perfectly together.

Gude. A common greeting in Hesse.

Jo/oh. Informal greeting in Rheingau.

Professional greetings in Germany

In Germany, there are a large number of special greetings that are common only among people of a specific occupation.

Horrido- hunters and travelers.

Glück Auf- miners.

Gut Pfad- scouts.

Gut Wehr- firefighters.

Obsolete German pivets

Like any other language, German has many outdated greetings that should only be used in an ironic context.

Habe die Ehre. Something like “I have the honor.” In the past it was used to invite people to dance.

Salve. A greeting that comes from the Latin language and was popular until the 19th century.

Borrowed greetings in German

Often, when communicating with friends in Germany, you can hear greetings that came into the German language from other languages.

Hi. This greeting came to German from English and is also translated as “hello”. Thanks to the widespread fashion for the English language, Hi has become firmly entrenched among young people.

Salü/Salut. French version of a friendly greeting.

“Goodbye” or how to say goodbye in German in a formal setting

Auf Wiedersehen. Standard and official farewell. Russian translation is “goodbye”.

Please note that when talking on the phone, Germans never say “Auf Wiedersehen” because they cannot see the other person. Instead, a special form of "Auf Wiederhören!" is used, which literally translates as "before the hearing".

How friends say goodbye in Germany

Tschüss. Among friends, an informal farewell, “bye,” is more common. You can also say goodbye using this word in the business sphere if you have good relationships with your colleagues.

It's hard to believe, but the word tschüss comes from the French farewell adieu. The French adieu is derived from the Latin ad deum. In Belgium the phrase was pronounced adjuus. It is from this variant that the German farewell atschüs is later formed. It is believed that it was brought with them by the Huguenots who fled to Germany from France.

Tschü ssikowski. Derived from the word Tschüss and became popular after the release of the TV series Die Zwei. The suffix “owski” gives the word a funny Slavic sound.

Tschü ssie. Women's version of farewell. Translates roughly as “poki.”

Mach’ s gut. Full version mach es gut. An informal farewell, an analogue of the Russian “come on” or “byvay”.

Bis Dann- "see you later".

Regional farewells in German

Auf Wiederschauen. Austrian version auf Wiedersehen. The phrase is derived from the verb schauen - “to look”.

Adieu. "Bye" in Switzerland. Notice that the word sounds French? This is the French language. The fact is that in Switzerland there is a fairly strong influence of the French language and many words penetrated into the Swiss version of the German language from French.

Borrowed goodbyes

Ciao. As you might guess, ciao comes from the Italian language and is an informal way to say goodbye to someone you know. Compare, “ciao” in Russian.

More German practice with Christfof

If you want to learn to communicate in German, sign up for first free lesson in our online center. The class will be taught by one of our professional tutors from Germany– Christoph Deininger and Eliane Roth. They will be happy to answer all your questions related to the German language and German culture, and will also help you create the optimal class schedule.

Are you learning spoken German? Then the first thing you need to learn is to say hello correctly. Greeting is one of the most important elements of communication. Agree, it is this that creates the atmosphere of the upcoming conversation. When addressing your interlocutor when meeting with a greeting, first of all you express your respect and respect.

As in all languages ​​in the world, greetings in Germany are divided into formal and informal. In each case, the style of speech will be different. For friends, relatives, acquaintances, and colleagues, the greeting will be different. Therefore, in order to avoid getting into an awkward situation, it is important to know which greeting to use in each specific case.

Formal greeting

The Germans are big fans of formalities. Therefore, when formally addressing the following words should be used in combination with the surname: Herr, Frau, Dr. When greeting colleagues, boss, business clients, business partners, just strangers in an elevator, supermarket, cafe, subway or other public places, in Germany it is customary to say hello depending on the time of day.

"Guten Morgen!" Germans usually speak until noon, and in some parts of Germany until 10 am. "Guten Tag!" used from 12 to 18 hours. "Guten Abend!" – after 18:00. Many Germans are big fans of shortening these greetings. So, instead of the usual “Guten Morgen!” you can often hear melodious "Morgen!". And sometimes it’s just "Guten!". So if you hear only a piece of greeting, don’t be surprised!

Do you use these expressions in your writing? Remember: all nouns in German are capitalized.

At lunchtime you can often hear the word "Mahlzeit!". It literally translates as “meal” and also means greeting. After the greeting, Germans usually exchange pleasantries. For example:

• Ich freue mich, Sie wieder zu treffen!(Nice to see you again!)
• Sehr erfreut!(Glad to meet you!)
• Wie geht es Ihnen?(How are you doing?)
• Gut, danke!(Everything is fine, thank you!)
• Und Ihnen?(And you?)

During formal meetings, it is customary to shake hands. Don't forget to do this.

Informal greeting

When greeting family members, loved ones and friends, Germans exchange light kisses on the cheek. One of the most common informal German greetings is "Hallo!"(Hello!). It can be called a little familiar, so it is usually exchanged between people who know each other well. Young people also often use the phrase “Sei gegrüßt!”(say hello to one person) and "Seid gegrüßt!"(say hello to a group of people). These phrases are translated as “Greetings!” "Grüß Dich!" means “I greet you!” These expressions are used only when greeting good acquaintances, friends or relatives. What follows, as always, is the standard exchange of pleasantries:

• Wie geht es dir?(How are you doing?)
• Wie geht's?(How are you?)
• Es geht mir gut.(I'm fine)
• Undir?(And you?)

Lately you can often hear such short words as "Hey", "Hoi", "Jo" and "Na". Remember, they also mean “Hello!” Diminutive form of hello in German - "Hallöchen!".

Want to say hi to someone? It's simple:
Gruß bitte (name) von mir!(Say hello to (who - name) from me!)

Features of greetings by region of Germany

It is worth remembering that in each region of Germany people use their own greeting. The exception is the word "Hallo"– it is used everywhere in Germany. For example, in Hamburg and Northern Germany people greet with the word "Moin!" or "Moin-moin!". By the way, this is a greeting "Moin!" comes from the pronunciation of the phrase "(Guten) Morgen!" and can be used around the clock.

In Bavaria and Southern Germany people say hello using the phrase "Grüß Gott!", which means “God greet you!” Southern Germans also use the greeting in their speech "Servus!"(Hello!). "Tschallo"– a newfangled youth word that means “Hello and goodbye!”

Saying goodbye in German

Greetings are inextricably linked with farewells. Farewell is an important and integral part of communication. A neutral farewell in Germany is usually accompanied by the word "Auf Wiedersehen". But most often Germans use the word "Tschüss!". Did you know that it comes from Spanish? "Adios!"(literal translation - “Go with God”)? Residents of Northern Germany adopted it from the Dutch, transforming it into "atschüs". Swabians - residents of Southern Germany - prefer the French word "Adieu". That's why you can still hear the short "Ade!". If a meeting is around the corner, Germans use the following expressions:

• Bis dann!
• Bis später!
• Bis bald!
• Bis nachher!
• Bis gleich!

They translate as “See you soon!”

When saying goodbye to loved ones, they usually say “Bis bald!” or "Sehen wir uns"(See you soon! or See you!. Of course, the choice of farewell words at the end of the conversation will depend on the degree of intimacy and formality that exists between the interlocutors. And finally, do not forget to smile and shake your hand in farewell. ! Man sieht sich!(See you!)