Moin
casual, northern Germany
Casual German hellos depend on the region. Moin is common in northern Germany, Servus in Bavaria and Austria, and Hallöchen is a playful form of Hallo. It is also called Hey.
Meaning: casual greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | Note |
|---|---|
| Moin | casual, northern Germany |
| Hey | casual |
| Servus | casual, Bavaria, Austria |
| Hallöchen | casual, playful |
Moin can be used at any time of day in the north, not only in the morning. Servus works as both hello and goodbye.
Which one should you use?
Hallöchen sounds cheerful and a little cute. Hey is borrowed from English and is common among young people.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Using Moin in Munich or Servus in Hamburg would sound out of place to locals.
Did you know?
- Moin is used at any hour in the north, so greeting someone with it in the afternoon is perfectly normal.
Examples in context
- Moin, wie geht es dir?Hi, how are you?
- Servus, alles gut?Hi, all good?
- Hallöchen, ihr Lieben!Hello, dear ones!
Example conversation
Jan meets his neighbor Knut on the street in Kiel.
- JanMoin, Knut!Hi, Knut!
- KnutMoin, Jan. Alles gut?Hi, Jan. All good?
- JanJa, und bei dir?Yes, and you?
