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 primary way to say hi is through the informal and friendly greeting hallo. Other informal variations exist depending on the specific region or time of day.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 'n Tag is a clipped, informal greeting that literally means "a day", serving as a shortened version of einen Tag.
Which one should you use?
While hallo is a general-purpose informal greeting, it is less formal than the standard Guten Tag.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German-speaking regions, such as parts of Switzerland and Southern Germany, you may use sali or hoi informally or the polite grüezi in Swiss German. In northern Germany, particularly around Hamburg, the informal Moin is common. In Bavaria and Austria, the friendly Servus is widely used. In southern Germany and Austria, the traditional Grüß Gott is also frequent.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhalo/
When do people say it?
Greetings often vary by time and region. In parts of Germany like the Rhineland, people use Mahlzeit to greet others specifically during lunchtime. In southern Germany and Austria, the traditional Grüß Gott is a common way to greet people.
Did you know?
- The greeting hallo originally served as a specific call to hail a ferryman across a river bank.
- The greeting Servus is used in Bavaria and Austria as both a way to say 'hi' and a way to say 'goodbye'.
- While hallo is common, the greeting Grüß Gott literally translates to 'Greet God' and reflects the deep Catholic roots of Southern Germany and Austria.
Examples in context
- Hallo, bist du Tom?Hi, are you Tom?This sentence shows how to use hallo when asking someone's identity.Tatoeba #4047079 by g_j, translation #4036990 by Hybrid
- Er sagt mir nie hallo.He never says hi to me.This sentence demonstrates the use of hallo in the context of someone's actions.Tatoeba #2653128 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2653115 by Hybrid
- Hallo, wie geht's dir?Hi, how are you?This sentence uses hallo to initiate a casual conversation about someone's well-being.Tatoeba #4776757 by Germic, translation #473177 by exjimmy
- Guten Tag! Wie geht es Ihnen?Good day! How are you?
- Hallo! Alles klar?Hi! Everything all right?
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian meet at a cafe.
- SarahHallo, Julian!Hello, Julian!
- JulianHallo, Sarah. Wie geht es dir?Hello, Sarah. How are you?
- SarahGut, danke. Und dir?Good, thanks. And you?
- JulianAuch gut.Also good.
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.
