How should I greet people in formal and informal German settings
Mastering German Etiquette: Essential Tips for Language Learners: How should I greet people in formal and informal German settings
In formal German settings, greetings typically include phrases like:
- Guten Morgen (Good morning) — used before noon.
- Guten Tag (Good day/Hello) — used generally from late morning to early evening.
- Guten Abend (Good evening) — used after sundown.
- Wie geht es Ihnen? (How are you?) — formal way to ask how someone is.
- Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye) — formal farewell.
- Adding a respectful title and last name, e.g., Guten Tag, Herr Schmidt.
For informal German settings, common greetings include:
- Hallo (Hello) — versatile and common in almost any informal context.
- Hi / Hey — casual greetings often used among friends or younger people.
- Moin — common in northern Germany for any time of day.
- Servus — used in southern Germany and Austria, informal hello or goodbye.
- Na? — very informal greeting among close friends, short for “What’s up?”
- Other casual greetings like Alles klar? (Everything alright?), Was geht ab? (What’s up?), and Tach (Hi).
In formal settings, a firm handshake with eye contact is standard, while in informal settings greetings can be more relaxed, including hugs or cheek kisses among close friends. Formal greetings show respect and distance, often using the formal “Sie” form of “you,” while informal greetings use “du” and first names when appropriate.
The general advice is to start formal with strangers or in professional contexts and switch to informal when invited to do so.