See all articles on the topic of How to Say...in German.
Hello is the very first thing you say when meeting someone—and there are many ways to say hello in German.
Just like in English, the most appropriate (or most natural) way of greeting someone depends on the context of the situation. It also depends on where you are in Germany!
For a quick rundown of common German greetings and their rough equivalents to English, refer to the table below:
Hallo - Hello
Hallo sounds like “Hello” because it’s pretty much the same thing.
Simple and informal, it can be used in virtually any casual setting.
Wie geht es dir/Ihnen? / Wie geht’s?
Roughly translating to “how’s it going?”, this is a friendlier way of saying hi in German.
Like its English translation, only use this phrase with people you’ve established rapport with.
Wie geht es dir or wie geht’s is the more informal version. Use it with people around your age or people you’re close to.
Wie geht es Ihnen is more formal—so use it with older people or those with more stature than you.
Guten Tag
Guten Tag’s meaning in English is “good day” - it’s the literal translation.
It’s the shorter version of Ich wünsche einen guten Tag (I wish you a good day).
As a somewhat formal greeting, it’s often used with an individual or group whom you would refer to with Sie.
The phrase can be used pretty much all day. And while it’s not weird to say Guten Tag regardless of the time, you might want to consider using Guten Morgen (good morning) or Guten Abend (good evening) during those parts of the day.
You can also use it as a form of farewell!
Was ist los?
This means what's up? In English.
Like its English counterpart, it’s a phrase often used by young people and has a very friendly, casual, if not somewhat juvenile feel to it.
Only use it with people you know very well (especially since Germans, while kind, aren’t necessarily the most outwardly expressive or friendly).
Grüß Gott/Grüß Sie/Grüß dich
These phrases are often used in southern states, mainly in Bavaria.
Grüß Gott means "God greets you.” Think of it as a more religious way to say Guten Tag. People usually use this to greet people they haven’t met before.
Another alternative is Grüß Sie, also used for greeting people you have not met yet.
Meanwhile, you can use Grüß dich with friends or people you already know.
Servus
Servus is another popular greeting in Bavaria as well as Austria.
It’s shorthand for saying “at your service,” and it can be used for both salutations and farewells.
While that may sound formal, it’s used rather casually and can be used in pretty much any situation where Hallo is also appropriate.
Moin!
Now on to the North! Moin is popular in northern regions like Hamburg. It’s basically their version of Hallo.
However, use it in southern areas and you might get confused looks!
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