Ways to say it
| Swiss German | Note |
|---|---|
| Guete Tag | |
| Guete Namittag | literal, less common |
Swiss speakers keep saying Guete Tag straight through the afternoon until evening, when they switch to Guete Abig. Guete Namittag is a literal translation of 'good afternoon' and exists, but it is heard far less than Guete Tag.
What does it mean word for word?
Namittag is the Swiss German form of Nachmittag, built from nach, 'after', and Mittag, 'midday'.
Which one should you use?
Guete Tag is the natural choice at any point in the afternoon. Guete Namittag sounds slightly unusual, almost too precise for everyday speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Guete Tag fits any formality level. Its closeness Grüezi works just as well in the afternoon as it does earlier in the day.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This lack of a separate afternoon greeting is consistent across German-speaking Switzerland.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither phrase changes for who you are speaking to.
How do you pronounce it?
Namittag stresses the first syllable, 'NA-mittag'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Looking for an exact Swiss German match to English 'good afternoon' can lead learners to overuse Guete Namittag. Native speakers simply keep using Guete Tag.
Did you know?
- Swiss German does not split the day into morning, afternoon and evening greetings the way English does, so Guete Tag simply stretches from late morning until evening.
- The word Namittag exists and is understood, but it is used far more to talk about the afternoon than to greet someone in it.
Examples in context
- Guete Tag, hend Sie e Minute Zyt?Good afternoon, do you have a minute?
- Guete Tag zäme, mir chönd afa.Good afternoon everyone, we can begin.
- Scho guete Namittag gha?Have you had a good afternoon so far?
Example conversation
A receptionist, Yvonne, greets a visitor, Pascal, arriving at two in the afternoon.
- YvonneGuete Tag, wie chan ich Ihne hälfe?Good afternoon, how can I help you?
- PascalGuete Tag, ich han en Termin um zwöi.Good afternoon, I have an appointment at two.
- YvonnePerfekt, nehmed Sie Platz.Perfect, please take a seat.
- PascalMerci vielmal.Thank you very much.
