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 level of formality and the specific region. hallo is a common informal way to say hello. In formal settings, you might use guten Tag, which translates to "Good day". Other formal time-specific greetings include Guten Morgen (Good morning) for the period until around noon, and Guten Abend (Good evening) typically used after 6 p.m. In Germany, the English word "Hi" is also widely understood and accepted in informal situations.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on your relationship with the person. hallo is a casual greeting used with friends, family or in relaxed settings. In contrast, guten Tag is a more formal greeting used with strangers, superiors or in professional environments.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For informal situations, you can use hallo, moin, servus or the English-inspired "Hi". In formal settings, guten Tag is the standard. In certain regions, grüß Gott serves as both a formal and informal greeting.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several greetings are specific to certain areas. In Northern Germany, such as Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein, moin and Moin Moin are popular informal greetings. In Southern Germany and Austria, particularly Bavaria, you will hear servus, which can mean both hello and farewell and grüß Gott, a traditional and polite greeting. In the Timau region, pfiati is used. Alemannic-German dialects include the forms grüezi, sälü, sali, hoi and hello.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
When do people say it?
Greetings often reflect regional identity. In Northern Germany, moin is a staple and can even be used to say goodbye. In Bavaria and Austria, servus is a common way to say both hello and farewell. In Southern Germany and Austria, grüß Gott literally means "May God greet you".
Did you know?
- The common greeting servus is actually a truncated version of a very humble Latin phrase used to address feudal lords, meaning 'I am your most humble servant'.
- In the Swiss German dialect, you might hear the greeting sali, which is actually a phonetic variation of the French 'salut'.
Examples in context
- Sag Hallo zu Tom.Say hello to Tom.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use hallo.Tatoeba #6625644 by Felixjp, translation #4667245 by CK
- Komm und sag hallo!Come and say hello.This sentence shows how to use hallo as a command or suggestion.Tatoeba #12862245 by Waldelfe, translation #12780855 by sundown
- Hallo, ich bin Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This sentence demonstrates how to introduce yourself using hallo.Tatoeba #2191961 by Vortarulo, translation #30980 by CN
- Guten Tag, wie geht es Ihnen?Good day, how are you (formal)?
- Hallo, alles klar?Hi, everything alright (informal)?
- Guten Morgen, habe ich Sie schon mal getroffen?Good morning, have we met before (formal)?
- Moin, wie war dein Wochenende?Hey, how was your weekend (informal)?
- Servus, wie schaut's aus?Hello, what's up (regional – Bavaria and Austria)?
- 227 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura meet on the street.
- JulianHallo, Laura!Hello, Laura!
- LauraHallo, Julian.Hello, Julian.
- JulianWie geht es dir?How are you?
- LauraGut, danke!Good, thanks!
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.
