Learning basic greetings in German is the perfect way to start your German journey. It opens doors to conversations and makes a great first impression. This guide is specially designed for Indian learners, providing clear German phrases with their English and Hindi equivalents to help you see the similarities and differences.
Let’s dive into the most essential German greetings!
The Most Common Greetings in German
1. Hallo (Hello)
- English Meaning: The universal and casual “Hello”.
- Hindi Meaning: हैलो (Hailo) / नमस्ते (Namaste) – a general, friendly greeting.
- When to Use: Anytime, anywhere, with anyone. It’s the safest and easiest way to say hello.
2. Guten Tag (Good Day)
- English Meaning: Good day.
- Hindi Meaning: शुभ दिन (Shubh Din).
- When to Use: The formal, standard greeting used from late morning until early evening. Think of it as the professional “Namaste” of the German-speaking world.
3. Tschüss (Bye)
- English Meaning: Bye / Goodbye.
- Hindi Meaning: अलविदा (Alvida) / नमस्ते (Namaste – when leaving).
- When to Use: The most common, informal way to say goodbye to friends, family, and colleagues.
4. Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye)
- English Meaning: Goodbye (literally “until we see each other again”).
- Hindi Meaning: फिर मिलेंगे (Phir Milenge) – a formal and polite goodbye.
- When to Use: In formal situations, with strangers, or with elderly people. It’s like using “आपसे मिलकर बहुत ख़ुशी हुई” (Aapse milkar bahut khushi hui) in Hindi.
- Pronunciation Tip: “Auf” sounds like “Ow-f”, “Wiedersehen” sounds like “Vee-der-zayn”.
5. Guten Morgen (Good Morning)
- English Meaning: Good Morning.
- Hindi Meaning: सुप्रभात (Suprabhat) / शुभ प्रभात (Shubh Prabhat).
- When to Use: From sunrise until about noon.
6. Guten Abend (Good Evening)
- English Meaning: Good Evening.
- Hindi Meaning: शुभ संध्या (Shubh Sandhya).
- When to Use: From early evening (around 5-6 PM) until night time.
7. Gute Nacht (Good Night)
- English Meaning: Good Night.
- Hindi Meaning: शुभ रात्रि (Shubh Raatri).
- When to Use: Only when someone is going to bed for the night.
Asking “How Are You?” in German: Formal vs. Informal
Knowing how to ask “How are you?” correctly is key, as German makes a clear distinction between formal and informal situations, much like the difference between “आप” (Aap) and “तुम” (Tum) in Hindi.
Informal “How are you?” (With friends, family, peers)
Wie geht’s? (How are you?)
- Full Phrase: Wie geht es dir?
- English Meaning: How are you? / How’s it going?
- Hindi Meaning: कैसे हो? (Kaise ho?) / सब ठीक? (Sab theek?)
- Pronunciation: “Vee gates deer?”
Common Informal Replies:
Hindi Meaning: मैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद! (Main theek hoon, dhanyavaad!)
Hindi Meaning: बहुत अच्छा! (Bahut accha!)
Hindi Meaning: ख़राब नहीं। (Kharab nahi.)
Hindi Meaning: ठीक-ठाक
Formal “How are you?” (With strangers, elders, in professional settings)
Wie geht es Ihnen? (How are you?)
- English Meaning: How are you? (Formal)
- Hindi Meaning: आप कैसे हैं? (Aap kaise hain?)
- Pronunciation: “Vee gate es Ee-nen?”
- When to Use: When speaking to someone you don’t know well, someone older, or in any professional or formal context (e.g., with a doctor, a professor, a shopkeeper).
Common Formal Replies:
- Mir geht es gut, danke. Und Ihnen? (I am fine, thank you. And you?)
- Hindi Meaning: मैं ठीक हूँ, धन्यवाद. और आप? (Main theek hoon, dhanyavaad. Aur aap?)
- Sehr gut, danke der Nachfrage. (Very well, thanks for asking.)
- Hindi Meaning: बहुत अच्छा, पूछने के लिए शुक्रिया। (Bahut accha, poochhne ke liye shukriya.)
Test Your Knowledge! Practice Exercise
Let’s see how much you remember! Match the German greeting on the left with its correct English meaning on the right.
Section A: Match the Greetings
| German Phrase | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Guten Morgen | A. Good Evening |
| 2. Tschüss | B. Hello |
| 3. Guten Abend | C. Good Morning |
| 4. Hallo | D. Goodbye (Informal) |
| 5. Auf Wiedersehen | E. Goodbye (Formal) |
Section B: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct German word to complete the sentence.
- You meet a friend at 10 AM. You say: “___________!” (Guten Morgen / Guten Abend)
- You are leaving a formal business meeting. You say: “___________!” (Tschüss / Auf Wiedersehen)
- You see someone for the first time at 3 PM. You can say formally: “___________!” (Gute Nacht / Guten Tag)
- Your friend is going home. You say informally: “___________!” (Auf Wiedersehen / Tschüss)
Section C: Formal or Informal?
Choose whether you would use the formal (Sie/Ihnen) or informal (du/dir) form in these situations.
- Talking to your friend’s grandmother.
- Greeting a colleague you see every day in the office.
- Asking your German teacher how they are.
- Meeting a classmate for coffee.
Section D: Complete the Conversation
Fill in the blanks with the correct word: dir (informal) or Ihnen (formal).
Situation: A student (Student) meets their professor (Professor).
- Student: Guten Tag, Herr Professor!
- Professor: Guten Tag! Wie geht es ________?
- Student: Gut, danke. Und ________?
- Professor: Auch gut, danke.
Quiz: 1
Quiz: 2
Pro Tip for Indian Learners
Notice that German, like English, has formal and informal greetings, similar to how in Hindi you might use “आप” (Aap – formal) or “तुम” (Tum – informal).
- Guten Tag and Auf Wiedersehen are formal, like using “नमस्ते” and “आपसे मिलकर बहुत ख़ुशी हुई”.
- Hallo and Tschüss are informal, like using “हैलो” and “अलविदा” with friends.
Paying attention to this formality will make your German sound more natural!
Think of it this way:
- Wie geht es dir? = तुम कैसे हो? (Kaise ho?) – for people you are close to.
- Wie geht es Ihnen? = आप कैसे हैं? (Aap kaise hain?) – for showing respect.
Using the correct form is a sign of respect and will make your German sound much more natural!
Ready for the next step? Build your vocabulary further with our guide to 100 Common German Sentences with English & Hindi Translation.
Viel Erfolg! (Good Luck!)