How to Say “Hello” in German

Ways to say it

Which one should you use?

hallo is a casual greeting used with friends, family or peers, whereas guten Tag is more formal. guten Tag is a formal greeting used with strangers, superiors or in professional settings. Hallo is a versatile informal greeting suitable for all times of the day. Guten Morgen is a formal greeting used specifically in the morning until around 10 or 11 am and Guten Abend is a formal greeting used in the evening, usually after 6 pm.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For informal situations, you can use hallo or hi (especially among younger generations). In formal settings, use guten Tag, Guten Morgen or Guten Abend depending on the time of day. Some regional terms like sälü, sali, hoi and hello (used in Alemannic-German contexts) are also informal.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Northern Germany, particularly in Hamburg, moin is a versatile greeting used for both hello and goodbye. In Southern Germany and parts of Austria, you will hear servus, which also functions as both a greeting and a goodbye, as well as grias di. The traditional greeting grüß Gott is also common in Southern Germany and Austria. In Switzerland, grüezi is the standard polite greeting, while Alemannic-German speakers may use informal terms like sälü, sali, hoi or hello. In the Timau region, pfiati is used.

How do you pronounce it?

/ˈhalo/

When do people say it?

In Northern Germany, moin serves as both a hello and a goodbye, while in Southern Germany and Austria, servus carries the same dual meaning. grüß Gott is a traditional greeting used in Southern Germany and Austria, often considered more formal or polite than hallo.