Hallo und Auf Wiedersehen
The German phrase for "hello and goodbye" is Hallo und Auf Wiedersehen.
This phrase combines a standard greeting and a standard farewell. German speakers often choose specific greetings and farewells based on the time of day or the level of formality. For example, you might use Guten Morgen to say good morning during the early hours of the day or Guten Tag to say hello or good day from late morning until the evening. To bid someone farewell, you can use the formal Auf Wiedersehen.
What does it mean word for word?
The farewell part of the phrase, Auf Wiedersehen, literally means "until we see each other again".
Which one should you use?
For a more informal tone, you can use Hallo und Tschüss, which translates to "hello and bye".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Auf Wiedersehen is the formal way to say goodbye. In contrast, Tschüss is informal and Tschüssi is a playful and cute way to say goodbye to friends or close acquaintances. When speaking to friends or loved ones, you might also use the informal farewell Mach's gut, which means "take care".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Auf Wiedersehen, the word Wiedersehen is a nominalized verb, which is why it is capitalized.
Did you know?
- While Auf Wiedersehen is for when you see someone, German has a specific equivalent for the phone: Auf Wiederhören, meaning 'until we hear each other again'.
- The word Hallo was originally used as a loud shout to hail a ferryman across a river, specifically to ask him to 'fetch' the boat.
- In some regions of Germany, people use Moin as both a hello and a goodbye, regardless of the time of day.
Examples in context
- Wir sagen einfach: Hallo und Auf Wiedersehen.We just say: hello and goodbye.
Example conversation
Hannah is leaving a shop after a very brief visit.
- HannahHallo und Auf Wiedersehen!Hello and goodbye!
- JulianDas ging aber schnell!That was quick!
- HannahJa, ich habe es eilig.Yes, I am in a hurry.
- JulianAlles klar, einen schönen Tag noch.All right, have a nice day.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hallo, Wiedersehen, auf, hallo, und, wiedersehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
