Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hallo | /ˈhalo/ /haˈloː/ |
|
| 'n Tag | ||
| sali | Alemannic German | |
| hoi | /hɔʏ̯/ | Alemannic German |
| grüezi | Alemannic German |
The most basic and widely used way of saying 'hi' in German is hallo.
Which one should you use?
While hallo is the standard informal greeting, it is more versatile and widely understood across all German dialects than the regional forms like sali or hoi.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hallo is a friendly, informal greeting. For a formal situation, Guten Tag is the standard and most widely used formal way to say 'hi' in German.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern Germany, particularly in coastal areas, people commonly say Moin, which is used throughout the day, not just in the morning. In Alemannic-speaking regions like Switzerland and parts of Southwestern Germany, sali is a common informal greeting. hoi is an informal greeting used primarily in Swiss German and Alemannic dialects. In Swiss German, grüezi is a polite greeting, typically used when addressing one person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
Did you know?
- The word hallo was not originally a friendly greeting, but a loud shout used to hail a ferryman to come and fetch a passenger across a river.
- In Swiss German, the polite greeting grüezi is specifically tailored for addressing a single person.
Examples in context
- Hallo, bist du Tom?Hi, are you Tom?This sentence is useful for confirming someone's identity using hallo.Tatoeba #4047079 by g_j, translation #4036990 by Hybrid
- Er sagt mir nie hallo.He never says hi to me.This sentence is useful for describing someone's habit of using hallo.Tatoeba #2653128 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2653115 by Hybrid
- Hallo, wie geht's dir?Hi, how are you?This sentence is useful for asking how someone is doing using hallo.Tatoeba #4776757 by Germic, translation #473177 by exjimmy
- Hallo! Wie geht es dir?Hello! How are you?
- Moin! Was machst du heute?Hi! What are you doing today?
- Guten Tag! Mein Name ist Lisa.Good day! My name is Lisa.
- Grüß Gott! Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.Hello! Nice to meet you.
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian see each other on the street.
- SarahHallo, Maximilian!Hi, Maximilian!
- MaximilianHallo, Sarah. Wie geht es dir?Hi, Sarah. How are you?
- SarahGut, danke.Good, thanks.
- MaximilianSchön, das zu hören.Good to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hallo, hoi, grüezi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 'n, Tag, hallo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
