guten Tag
/ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/
In German, the phrase 'good afternoon' is typically expressed as guten Tag. Wiktionary also lists guten Nachmittag.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guten Tag | /ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/ /ˌɡutn̩ ˈtaːk/ |
|
| guten Nachmittag | uncommon |
guten Tag is the standard way to greet someone during the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'good day'.
Which one should you use?
guten Tag is the standard greeting, whereas guten Nachmittag is a literal translation of 'good afternoon' that is rarely used as a standalone greeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
guten Tag is a standard, polite and formal greeting. It is suitable for use in shops, business settings or when meeting strangers. For a more informal greeting suitable for any time of day, you might use Hallo.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a greeting, guten Tag uses the accusative case because it is a shortened version of the sentence 'Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Tag' (I wish you a good day).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/
Did you know?
- The word Tag has a historical connection to formal assemblies and legal meetings, which is why words like Reichstag refer to a parliament or a legislative body.
- Depending on the region, a person might replace guten Tag with Moin in the north or Grüß Gott in the south, even in the middle of the afternoon.
Examples in context
- „Guten Tag, Tom!“ – „Guten Tag, Maria!“"Good afternoon, Tom!" "Good afternoon, Mary!"This shows a simple exchange of greetings using guten Tag.Tatoeba #2738758 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8886945 by deniko
- Guten Tag, junge Frau, wie geht es Ihnen?Good afternoon, young lady, how are you?This demonstrates a polite greeting using guten Tag when addressing someone.Tatoeba #13234737 by Vortarulo, translation #8877060 by victorromero85
- Guten Tag!Good afternoon.This is a standalone use of the greeting guten Tag.Tatoeba #676082 by Manfredo, translation #499689 by CK
- Guten Tag, Herr Müller. Wie geht es Ihnen heute?Good afternoon, Mr. Müller. How are you today?
- Schönen Nachmittag, Frau Schmidt. Ich hoffe, Sie haben einen angenehmen Tag.Good afternoon, Mrs. Schmidt. I hope you're having a pleasant day.
- Guten Tag, Peter! Wie war dein Tag bisher?Good afternoon, Peter! How has your day been so far?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Julia meet in the street.
- JulianGuten Tag, Julia!Good afternoon, Julia!
- JuliaGuten Tag, Julian!Good afternoon, Julian!
- JulianWie geht es dir heute?How are you doing today?
- JuliaMir geht es sehr gut, danke.I am doing very well, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries guten Tag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nachmittag, Tag, guten Tag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
