Grüß Gott!
Austria, all day
In Austria people rarely say a separate afternoon greeting. The usual choice is Grüß Gott!, which is used all day, or Guten Tag! It is also called Servus! and Mahlzeit!
Meaning: greeting in the afternoon (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | Note |
|---|---|
| Grüß Gott! | Austria, all day |
| Guten Tag! | neutral |
| Servus! | friends |
| Mahlzeit! | around lunchtime |
Guten Nachmittag exists but sounds quite formal. Close friends say Servus!, and colleagues around midday may say Mahlzeit!
Is it said differently in some regions?
Grüß Gott is typical for Austria and southern Germany and it is used by people of all kinds, whether religious or not.
Did you know?
- Grüß Gott is a shortened form of an older wish that God greet you.
Examples in context
- Guten Tag, wie geht es Ihnen?Good afternoon, how are you?
- Servus, Peter!Hello, Peter!
Example conversation
Anna meets her neighbor Frau Berger in the stairwell in Salzburg.
- AnnaGrüß Gott, Frau Berger!Good afternoon, Mrs Berger!
- Frau BergerGrüß Gott, Anna. Wie geht es dir?Good afternoon, Anna. How are you?
- AnnaDanke, gut.Fine, thanks.
