The first thing you need to learn in German is how to greet people — because every conversation starts here. The good news: just a few key phrases will get you through most everyday situations. The slight complication: German uses different greetings depending on the time of day. Let's learn them together.
Basic rule: German has different expressions for "hello" depending on the time of day. However, there are two universal options that always work: Hallo (informal) and Guten Tag (formal).
Greetings During the Day
Farewells
How Are You? — Asking About Well-Being
| German | English | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? | Formal (Sie) |
| Wie geht es dir? | How are you? | Informal (du) |
| Wie geht's? | How's it going? | Very informal |
| Danke, gut! | Fine, thanks! | Standard reply |
| Sehr gut, danke! | Very well, thank you! | Positive reply |
| Es geht so. | So-so. / Not bad. | Neutral reply |
| Nicht so gut. | Not so good. | Negative reply |
| Und Ihnen/dir? | And you? | Return the question |
Sample Dialogue: At the Office
☕ Morning at the office
Sample Dialogue: With Friends
🍕 Evening with a friend
⚠️ Formal vs. Informal: In German, Sie (capital S) is the formal "you," while du is the informal "you." Always use Sie with strangers, your boss and elderly people. Don't switch to du unless the other person suggests it first.
Test Yourself
It's 3 pm. How do you say "hello" to someone?
Afternoon → Guten Tag ✓ (Guten Morgen = morning, Guten Abend = evening)
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