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 |
German offers various ways to greet others depending on the time of day, the level of formality and the specific region you are in. While hallo is a versatile and popular informal greeting, more structured greetings like guten Tag (good day) or guten Abend (good evening, used after approximately 6 p.m.) are used in more professional or polite contexts.
Which one should you use?
hallo is a casual greeting used with friends, family or peers. In contrast, guten Tag is a more formal way to say hello, making it suitable for shops, business settings or speaking to strangers. In casual environments, you may also see shortened versions of formal greetings, such as Tag, Morgen or Abend, where the word 'guten' has been dropped.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hallo is informal. guten Tag is formal. Tag is a shortened, colloquial version used among acquaintances. sälü, sali, hoi and hello are all informal versions used in Alemannic-German contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Germany, especially around Hamburg, moin is a popular informal greeting. In Southern Germany and Austria, you will frequently hear the traditional, polite greeting grüß Gott. The word servus is also common in Southern Germany and Austria and can function as both 'hello' and 'goodbye'. In the Alemannic-German dialect, you may encounter grüezi, sälü, sali, hoi or hello. The greeting grias di is also used, while pfiati is used in Timau.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
Did you know?
- The word hallo was not originally a friendly greeting, but a functional shout to hail a ferryman on a riverbank. It stems from the Old High German holā, which was an imperative meaning 'to fetch'.
- In Northern Germany, moin is often used as a greeting regardless of the time of day, even in the evening.
Examples in context
- Sag Hallo zu Tom.Say hello to Tom.This sentence shows how to use hallo as a verb object.Tatoeba #6625644 by Felixjp, translation #4667245 by CK
- Komm und sag hallo!Come and say hello.This sentence demonstrates the use of hallo as an exclamation.Tatoeba #12862245 by Waldelfe, translation #12780855 by sundown
- Hallo, ich bin Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This sentence shows how to introduce yourself using hallo.Tatoeba #2191961 by Vortarulo, translation #30980 by CN
- 227 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah meet in a park.
- FelixHallo, Hannah!Hello, Hannah!
- HannahHallo, Felix! Wie läuft es?Hello, Felix! How is it going?
- FelixAlles gut, danke.Everything is good, thanks.
- HannahDas 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.
