viele Grüße
/ˈfiːlə ˈɡʁyːsə/word by word
viele Grüße is the German phrase for "many greetings" and is used as a friendly closing at the end of a letter or email.
This phrase is a standard, friendly closing suitable for emails or letters to acquaintances, colleagues or friends. A key difference between German and English usage is that you do not typically put a comma after the closing phrase.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "many greetings". The word viele is the plural adjective meaning "many", and Grüße is the plural form of Gruß (greeting).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
viele Grüße is considered informal or semi-formal. For more formal correspondence, you might use Mit freundlichen Grüßen ("With kind regards") or Hochachtungsvoll ("Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully"). For a more informal and warmer tone, you can use Ganz liebe Grüße ("Lots of warm regards" or "Very dear greetings").
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfiːlə ˈɡʁyːsə/
Did you know?
- If a German says Grüß Gott in Bavaria or Austria, they are using a regional greeting that literally means 'greet God'. This traditional form is distinct from the general viele Grüße used in writing.
- In some regions of Southern Germany and Austria, people might replace viele Grüße with Schöne Grüße, which translates to 'beautiful greetings'.
- The word Gruß shares a deep linguistic root with the English word 'greet', though they evolved through different phonetic paths over centuries.
Examples in context
- Viele liebe Grüße an Oma!Sending warm regards to Grandma!
- Viele Grüße aus Berlin!Many greetings from Berlin!
Example conversation
Sarah is sending a quick email to Maximilian after a meeting.
- SarahHallo Maximilian, danke für das nette Gespräch.Hello Maximilian, thanks for the nice conversation.
- MaximilianGerne, Sarah. Melde dich bald wieder.You're welcome, Sarah. Get in touch again soon.
- SarahJa, mache ich. Viele Grüße!Yes, I will. Many greetings!
- MaximilianBis dann!See you then!
