What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective herzliche (heartfelt/warm) and the noun Grüße (greetings).
Which one should you use?
While Mit freundlichen Grüßen is the standard formal closing for business correspondence, herzliche Grüße is warmer and more personal. For close relationships, you might use Liebe Grüße, which can be translated as 'Warm regards' or 'Lots of love'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
herzliche Grüße is informal/semi-formal. It is less formal than Mit freundlichen Grüßen and is best suited for people you already know or have a friendly professional relationship with. For a formal context, 'With best regards' is translated as Mit besten Grüßen.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a prepositional object (e.g., after 'mit'), the phrase changes to mit herzlichen Grüßen.
Did you know?
- When writing an email, you must never place a comma after herzliche Grüße before your name, unlike the common practice in English with 'Best regards,'. In German, the closing stands alone without any punctuation.
- While herzliche Grüße is warm, using the word Herz (heart) in a greeting is far more common in German professional settings than using 'heart' in English business correspondence.
- In digital communication, the plural Grüße is often shortened to LG (for Liebe Grüße) or VG (for Viele Grüße), which are common even in semi-professional emails.
Examples in context
- Hallo Thomas, Danke für deine Hilfe. Viele Grüße, [Dein Name]Hello Thomas, Thanks for your help. Best regards, [Your Name]
- Herzliche Grüße aus Berlin.Warmest regards from Berlin.
- Bitte sende ihr herzliche Grüße.Please send her warmest regards.
- Wir schicken euch herzliche Grüße.We send you warmest regards.
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are exchanging emails about a shared acquaintance.
- SarahSchreib ihr bitte herzliche Grüße von mir.Please write her warmest regards from me.
- JulianDas mache ich sehr gerne, Sarah.I will gladly do that, Sarah.
- SarahVielen Dank, Julian.Thank you very much, Julian.
- JulianGerne geschehen!You're welcome!
