guten Morgen
/ˈɡuːtən ˈmɔʁɡən/
The English phrase "good morning" is translated into German as guten Morgen.
Guten Morgen is used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning.
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective gut (good) in the accusative masculine form and the noun Morgen (morning).
Which one should you use?
Guten Morgen is used specifically in the early morning, whereas Guten Tag is used from midday through the afternoon.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In casual settings, speakers often drop Guten and simply say Morgen! to greet friends or colleagues. Moin is a popular and informal way to say good morning in Low German.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Morgen is a masculine noun and the phrase functions as an object of an implied greeting like Ich wünsche dir einen guten Morgen, the adjective takes the -en ending.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡuːtən ˈmɔʁɡən/
Did you know?
- The word Morgen descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to blink' or 'twinkle'. This suggests the morning was originally conceptualized as the time when eyes first open.
- In some regions, you might hear Moin Moin. Some locals joke that using the word twice is an unnecessary repetition or even a sign of being overly talkative.
- German distinguishes between the noun Morgen (morning) and the adverb morgen (tomorrow). They are spelled the same except for the capitalization.
Examples in context
- Hallo Tom. Guten Morgen.Hi, Tom. Good morning!This example shows how to use guten Morgen as a greeting.Tatoeba #2153221 by Vortarulo, translation #7855406 by shekitten
- Guten Morgen. Wie geht's?Good morning. How are you?This example shows how to follow guten Morgen with a question about someone's well-being.Tatoeba #2045663 by Manfredo, translation #434812 by lukaszpp
- Guten Morgen, mein Schatz!Good morning, my love.This example shows a more affectionate way to use guten Morgen.Tatoeba #5590982 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5587302 by Hybrid
- Moin Moin, Frau Müller.Good morning, Mrs. Müller.
- Moin, wie geht's?Good morning, how are you?
- Guten Morgen, mein Liebling.Good morning, my darling.
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura meet in a cafe early in the day.
- MaximilianGuten Morgen, Laura!Good morning, Laura!
- LauraGuten Morgen, Maximilian. Hast du schon Kaffee?Good morning, Maximilian. Do you have coffee already?
- MaximilianJa, ich habe einen schwarzen Kaffee bestellt.Yes, I ordered a black coffee.
- LauraDas klingt gut, ich brauche auch etwas.That sounds good, I need something too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations and entries guten Morgen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Morgen, guten Morgen, morgen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
