Learning to greet people properly is the first and most important step when learning any language. In German, greetings vary depending on the time of day, the region and the level of formality. This guide covers everything from a simple Hallo to a formal Guten Morgen.
In southern Germany and Austria, people often say Servus or Grüß Gott as a casual greeting — quite different from the northern Moin!
🌅 Basic Greetings by Time of Day
| Emoji | German | English | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ | Guten Morgen | Good morning | Until about 10:00 |
| 🌤️ | Guten Tag | Good day / Hello | 10:00 – 18:00 |
| 🌙 | Guten Abend | Good evening | After 18:00 |
| 🌛 | Gute Nacht | Good night | When going to bed |
| 👋 | Hallo / Hei | Hello / Hi | Anytime, informal |
| 🤙 | Hey / Na? | Hey / What's up? | Very casual |
💬 Essential Everyday Phrases
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? | Formal |
| Wie geht's? | How are you? | Informal, very common |
| Sehr gut, danke! | Very good, thank you! | Common positive reply |
| Gut, und dir? | Good, and you? | Polite response |
| Es geht. | So-so / Not bad | Neutral |
| Nicht so gut. | Not so good. | Honest answer |
| Fantastisch! | Fantastic! | Enthusiastic |
👋 Saying Goodbye
| German | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye | Formal, standard |
| Tschüss | Bye! | Informal, very common |
| Bis bald! | See you soon! | Casual |
| Bis morgen! | See you tomorrow! | Until tomorrow |
| Bis später! | See you later (today)! | Same day |
| Schönen Abend! | Have a nice evening! | Warm farewell |
| Schönes Wochenende! | Have a nice weekend! | On Fridays |
🎩 Formal vs Informal: Sie vs du
German has two forms of "you": du (informal) and Sie (formal). Knowing which to use is crucial!
📐 When to Use Sie (Formal)
- With strangers, elderly people or authority figures
- In formal business or official settings
- In shops, offices and professional meetings
📐 When to Use du (Informal)
- With friends, family, children and colleagues you know well
- Among young people (mostly du even with strangers)
- In relaxed social settings
🙏 Please, Thank You & Sorry
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bitte | Please / Here you are / You're welcome | Very versatile word! |
| Danke | Thanks | Casual |
| Danke schön | Thank you very much | Standard polite form |
| Vielen Dank | Many thanks | Formal, emphatic |
| Bitte schön | You're welcome / Here you are | Reply to thank you |
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me / Sorry | Very common |
| Es tut mir leid | I am sorry | More serious apology |
🤝 Introductions: Sich vorstellen
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Hallo, ich bin Tom | Hello, I am Tom |
| Wie heißt du? | What is your name? (informal) |
| Wie heißen Sie? | What is your name? (formal) |
| Ich heiße Anna | My name is Anna |
| Freut mich! | Pleased to meet you! |
| Woher kommst du? | Where are you from? |
| Ich komme aus England | I come from England |
| Sprechen Sie Deutsch? | Do you speak German? |
| Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch | I speak a little German |
Saying "Ich lerne gerade Deutsch" (I am currently learning German) will make almost any German speaker smile and want to help you!
✏️ Übungen (Practice Exercises)
Exercise 1: How do you say "Good morning" in German? Answer: Guten Morgen!
Exercise 2: Your German colleague asks "Wie geht's?" How do you say "Good, thank you"? Answer: Gut, danke!
Exercise 3: How do you say "What is your name?" informally? Answer: Wie heißt du?
Exercise 4: It is Friday afternoon and you are leaving the office. What do you say? Answer: Schönes Wochenende!
🔗 Continue Learning
- 👉 German Numbers 1–100 — learn to count in German
- 👉 Days, Months & Time — tell the time in German
- 👉 Der, Die, Das — master the German articles
- 👉 Family Vocabulary — talk about your family
🎯 Ready to Test Your German?
Take our free online German quiz and find out your level — A1, A2, B1 or higher!
Take the Free Quiz at deutschelernen.com/test →