Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| guten Tag | /ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/ /ˌɡutn̩ ˈtaːk/ |
| Tach | /tax/ /taːx/ |
guten Tag is a greeting used between sunrise and sunset. While it covers the bulk of the day, it is distinct from Guten Morgen, which is used specifically in the early morning hours and Guten Abend, which replaces it once the sun begins to set or the evening hours begin.
Which one should you use?
Tach is a colloquial, clipped version of Tag used in casual settings or specific regional dialects.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
guten Tag is a formal way to say good day. In contrast, Hallo is an informal way to say hello.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Servus is a common greeting used in Southern Germany and Austria to mean either "Hi" or "Goodbye".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is in the accusative case because it is a shortened version of Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Tag (I wish you a good day).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, a person might respond to guten Tag with Moin in Northern Germany, even if it is the middle of the afternoon.
- The word Tag was used in early legal documents to mean a fixed day for a meeting or debate. This meaning survives in words like Reichstag and Landtag which refer to parliaments.
- Using the colloquial Tach instead of guten Tag can immediately signal that the speaker is from a working-class background or is from certain regional areas like the Rhineland.
Examples in context
- Einen guten Tag noch!Have a good day.This sentence is useful for wishing someone a good day using guten Tag.Tatoeba #6644873 by Felixjp, translation #3326719 by CK
- Guten Tag, was möchten Sie?Good day. What do you want?This sentence shows how to use guten Tag when asking what someone wants.Tatoeba #714343 by jakov, translation #2310291 by Gulo_Luscus
- Guten Tag! Wie geht es dir?Good day, how are you?This sentence shows how to use guten Tag when asking how someone is.Tatoeba #9932785 by grasweg3, translation #415678 by blay_paul
- Interviewer: Guten Tag! Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?Good day! How can I assist you?
- Job Applicant: Guten Tag! Ich habe einen Termin bei Frau Müller.Good day! I have an appointment with Mrs. Müller.
- Student: Guten Morgen, Herr Schneider!Good morning, Mr. Schneider!
- Teacher: Guten Morgen, Klasse!Good morning, class!
- Friend: Hallo! Wie geht es dir?Hello! How are you?
- Local: Grüß Gott! Was kann ich für Sie tun?Good day! What can I do for you?
- Neighbour: Grüß Gott! Wie geht es Ihrer Familie?Hello! How is your family doing?
- Local: Moin! Wie geht's?Hello! How are you?
- Tourist: Moin, kann ich hier parken?Hello, can I park here?
- Friend: Servus! Schön dich zu sehen!Hi! Nice to see you!
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian meet in the city center.
- SarahGuten Tag, Julian!Good day, Julian!
- JulianHallo Sarah, schön dich zu sehen.Hello Sarah, nice to see you.
- SarahWie geht es dir heute?How are you doing today?
- JulianMir geht es sehr gut, danke.I am doing very well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries guten Tag, Tach, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Tag, guten Tag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
