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 |
The phrase is a greeting. hallo is a straightforward, universal way to say hello informally. In formal settings, you can use guten Tag to mean good day, which is standard throughout the day until the evening.
Which one should you use?
hallo is an informal greeting used with friends, family or peers, whereas guten Tag is more formal and used with strangers or in professional settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Informal greetings include hallo, servus, moin, sälü, sali, hoi, hello and hi (which is borrowed from English and used among younger generations). Formal greetings include guten Tag, grüß Gott, Guten Morgen (used until noon) and Guten Abend (used after approximately 6 p.m. or when it starts getting dark).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Germany, you can use moin. In Southern Germany and Austria, you may use servus or the polite greeting grüß Gott. The Alemannic-German dialect includes the forms grüezi, sälü, sali, hoi and hello. The form pfiati is used in Timau. grias di is also a known form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
Did you know?
- The greeting servus has a surprisingly humble origin. It is an abbreviation of a Latin phrase once used by commoners to address feudal lords, meaning 'I am your most humble servant'.
- In some regions, servus is used both when arriving to say hello and when leaving to say goodbye.
- In Northern Germany, moin is used as a greeting regardless of the time of day, even though it is often mistaken for 'morning'.
Examples in context
- Sag Hallo zu Tom.Say hello to Tom.This sentence shows how to use hallo to greet someone.Tatoeba #6625644 by Felixjp, translation #4667245 by CK
- Komm und sag hallo!Come and say hello.This sentence uses hallo as an imperative greeting.Tatoeba #12862245 by Waldelfe, translation #12780855 by sundown
- Hallo, ich bin Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This sentence uses hallo to introduce oneself.Tatoeba #2191961 by Vortarulo, translation #30980 by CN
- 227 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Felix meet on the street.
- LauraHallo, Felix!Hello, Felix!
- FelixHallo, Laura. Wie geht es dir?Hello, Laura. How are you?
- LauraGut, danke.Good, thanks.
- FelixDas freut mich.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.
