servus
/ˈzɛrvʊs/
The German equivalent of howdy is servus.
servus is an informal greeting. Unlike many German greetings that only mean 'hello', servus can be used both for 'hello' and 'goodbye' depending on the context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
servus is an informal greeting used among friends or people of similar social standing. For more formal situations, you might use Guten Tag to say hello or good day or Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren when addressing a group in formal letters or speeches. Other informal options include Hallo, the playful variation Hallöchen or the English loanword Hey which is common among younger Germans.
Is it said differently in some regions?
servus is a Bavarian greeting used in southern Germany and Austria. In those same southern regions, you will also commonly hear Grüß Gott. In northern Germany, the informal greeting Moin is popular and its variation Moin Moin is common especially around coastal areas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzɛrvʊs/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Servus!Howdy!
- Servus, wie geht's?Howdy, how are you?
- Ein herzliches Servus an alle.A hearty howdy to everyone.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura meet at a local park.
- MaximilianServus, Laura!Howdy, Laura!
- LauraServus, Maximilian. Wie läuft's?Howdy, Maximilian. How is it going?
- MaximilianAlles bestens, danke.Everything is great, thanks.
- LauraDas freut mich zu hören.I am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry servus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries servus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
