Servus
casual, Austria
In Austria people often say Servus to friends and Grüß Gott to almost everyone else. Hallo works anywhere.
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | Note |
|---|---|
| Servus | casual, Austria |
| Hallo | neutral |
| Grüß Gott | neutral, Austria |
Grüß Gott is a polite greeting for shops, offices and strangers, and it is very common in Austria. Servus is friendly and relaxed, and Austrians use it both to say hello and to say goodbye.
Which one should you use?
In northern Germany Moin and Guten Tag are more usual. Hearing Servus or Grüß Gott is a good sign that you are in Austria or Bavaria.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Servus is for people you know. With someone older or someone you have just met, Grüß Gott or Guten Tag is the safer choice.
Did you know?
- Servus comes from Latin servus, meaning "servant", and was once a polite "at your service".
Examples in context
- Grüß Gott, einen Kaffee bitte.Hello, a coffee please.
- Servus, Anna!Hi, Anna!
- Hallo, ich bin neu hier.Hello, I am new here.
Example conversation
Jonas meets his colleague Lena at a café in Vienna and then greets the waiter.
- JonasServus, Lena!Hi, Lena!
- LenaServus, Jonas!Hi, Jonas!
- JonasGrüß Gott, zwei Kaffee bitte.Hello, two coffees please.
