What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Wie geht's? is a contraction of Wie geht es?, which literally translates to "How goes it?"
Which one should you use?
While Wie geht's? is a casual and abbreviated version of the full grammatical question, you may also encounter more complete forms like Wie geht es dir? or Wie geht es Ihnen? depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern Germany, people often use the casual greeting Moin. In Austria, Servus is a common informal greeting.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a single person you know well, such as a friend or family member, use the informal Wie geht es dir? In contrast, use Wie geht es Ihnen? when addressing someone formally.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you how you are doing informally using Wie geht's?, a common way to respond is Gut, danke. Und dir? (Good, thanks. And you?). If you are in a formal setting, use the response Gut, danke. Und Ihnen? to ask the other person how they are doing.
Did you know?
- Unlike in English, where 'how are you' is often a social formality, Germans may give a detailed and honest answer about their health or mood.
- The greeting Hallo has a surprising history as a shout used to call out to ferrymen across a river. It is derived from the Old High German word holōn, which meant 'to fetch' or 'to call'.
Examples in context
- Hallo, wie geht's?Hello, how are you doing?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hallo, hallo, wie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
