Hallo
/haˈloː/
The English phrase "hello to a woman" translates to Hallo in German.
Hallo is a common greeting used to say hello. It is an informal greeting used across Germany.
Which one should you use?
While Hallo is a standard informal greeting, you might encounter other options. For example, the English loanword Hi is an informal greeting often used by younger generations in Germany. In a more formal context, one might use Guten Tag, which translates to 'Good day' or 'Good afternoon'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bavaria and Austria, you may hear Servus, a versatile term that can mean both 'Hi' or 'Goodbye' and can be used in both formal and informal situations.
How do you pronounce it?
/haˈloː/
Did you know?
- While Hallo is universal, the Southern greeting Servus is derived from the Latin word for 'slave' or 'servant'.
- In Northern Germany, you might hear Moin instead of Hallo, which is used as a greeting at any hour of the day or night.
- The greeting Hallo shares an ancient history with the act of calling out to a ferryman to bring them across a river.
Examples in context
- Hallo, wie geht es dir?Hello, how are you?
- Hallo, schön dich zu sehen!Hello, nice to see you!
- Hallo, kann ich Ihnen helfen?Hello, can I help you?
Example conversation
Maximilian sees Laura at a cafe.
- MaximilianHallo, Laura!Hello, Laura!
- LauraHallo, Maximilian! Wie geht es dir?Hello, Maximilian! How are you?
- MaximilianMir geht es gut, danke.I am doing well, thanks.
- LauraDas freut mich!I am glad to hear that!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Hallo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hallo, hallo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
