Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hallo | /ˈhalo/ /haˈloː/ |
|
| guten Tag | /ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈtaːk/ /ˌɡutn̩ ˈtaːk/ |
|
| servus | /ˈzɛrvʊs/ | |
| moin | /mɔːɪn/ /mɔːɪŋ/ |
|
| Tag | /taːk/ /tax/ |
|
| grias di | ||
| grüß Gott | /ɡʁyːs ɡɔt/ | Austria, German, Southern |
| grüezi | Alemannic German | |
| sälü | Alemannic German, informal | |
| sali | Alemannic German, informal | |
| hoi | /hɔʏ̯/ | Alemannic German, informal |
| hello | Alemannic German, informal | |
| pfiati | Timau |
While hallo is a general greeting, other forms are more specific to certain times of day or specific regions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase guten Tag is composed of guten (good) and Tag (day).
Which one should you use?
While hallo is a general greeting, guten Tag is more formal and is used specifically during the daytime. You may also hear the shortened, more casual version Tag.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
guten Tag is a more formal way to say hello than hallo and is appropriate for professional or stranger-to-stranger interactions. Conversely, Tag is a common, more casual way to greet someone. The Alemannic-German forms sälü, sali and hoi are informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
moin is a common greeting used primarily in Northern Germany. In Southern Germany and Austria, you will frequently hear servus or the polite, traditional greeting grüß Gott. The form pfiati is used in Timau. Within the Alemannic-German dialect, you may encounter grüezi, sälü, sali, hoi and hello.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
Did you know?
- The greeting servus comes from a Latin phrase meaning 'I am your most humble servant' that commoners once said to feudal lords.
- In the Southern greeting grüß Gott, the speaker is literally asking God to greet the other person.
- In some professional contexts in Germany, it is customary to greet everyone in a room individually rather than saying one general hallo to the group.
Examples in context
- Sag Hallo zu Tom.Say hello to Tom.This sentence is useful for practicing the form hallo.Tatoeba #6625644 by Felixjp, translation #4667245 by CK
- Komm und sag hallo!Come and say hello.Tatoeba #12862245 by Waldelfe, translation #12780855 by sundown
- Hallo, ich bin Mike.Hello, this is Mike.Tatoeba #2191961 by Vortarulo, translation #30980 by CN
- Na, du alte Schlawinerin!old rascal
- Hey, du verrückte/r Nudel!crazy noodle
- 227 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas meets Julia at a cafe.
- LukasHallo, Julia!Hello, Julia!
- JuliaHallo, Lukas. Wie geht es dir?Hello, Lukas. How are you?
- LukasMir geht es gut, danke.I am doing well, thank you.
- JuliaDas freut mich zu hören.I am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries hallo, guten Tag, servus, moin, Tag, grüß Gott, grüezi, hoi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Tag, guten Tag, hallo, moin, servus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
