Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hallo | /ˈhalo/ /haˈloː/ |
|
| 'n Tag | /ʔɛn taːk/ (word by word) | |
| sali | Alemannic German | |
| hoi | /hɔʏ̯/ | Alemannic German |
| grüezi | Alemannic German |
The word hallo is a versatile, informal greeting suitable for friends, family and casual acquaintances. It can mean both "hi" and "hello."
Which one should you use?
While hallo is informal, Guten Tag is the standard formal way to say hello during the day. Other formal greetings include Guten Morgen (Good morning) and Guten Abend (Good evening).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hallo is an informal greeting. For formal situations, use Guten Tag to say "Good day", Guten Morgen for "Good morning" or Guten Abend for "Good evening".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German speaking regions, such as Switzerland, you may hear grüezi for hello, sali for a colloquial "hi" or "bye" and hoi. In Northern Germany, the informal greeting Moin is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use "hi" as a verb, meaning "to say hi", you use the phrase hallo sagen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
Did you know?
- The word hallo was not originally a friendly greeting, but a way to call out to a ferryman to fetch him across a river.
- While grüezi is used for 'hi' in Switzerland, it is a contraction of a phrase wishing the other person God's greeting.
Examples in context
- Hallo, bist du Tom?Hi, are you Tom?This sentence uses hallo to ask if someone is Tom.Tatoeba #4047079 by g_j, translation #4036990 by Hybrid
- Er sagt mir nie hallo.He never says hi to me.This sentence uses hallo to describe someone not saying hi.Tatoeba #2653128 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2653115 by Hybrid
- Hallo, wie geht's dir?Hi, how are you?This sentence uses hallo to ask how someone is doing.Tatoeba #4776757 by Germic, translation #473177 by exjimmy
- Guten Tag, Herr Müller. Wie geht es Ihnen?Good day, Mr. Müller. How are you?
- Hallo, wie geht's?Hello, how are you?
- Hi, was machst du heute?Hi, what are you doing today?
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Julian see each other at a local park.
- LauraHallo, Julian!Hello, Julian!
- JulianHallo, Laura. Wie geht es dir?Hello, Laura. How are you?
- LauraMir geht es sehr gut, danke.I am doing very well, thanks.
- JulianDas freut mich zu hören.I am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hallo, hoi, grüezi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (N, Tag) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 'n, Tag, hallo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
