Greetings in German are an important part of the conversation! Very often, depending on the greeting, the first impression of a person is formed. Today we're going to talk about the German system of welcome words and expressions: just complicated!

Although the culture of communication is changing towards a softening of strict rules, the Germans still formally stick with representatives of other countries and with each other.

This becomes obvious when you consider the options for German greetings, which differ as by time of day when they are used and in different regions where they are in use.

FACT: In Bavaria and southern Germany they usually say: Grüß Gott! ... And in Berlin you can often hear: Schönen Tag!

Or a generic phrase:
"Guten Tag", that is," Hello. " Guten Tag"also means" Good afternoon ", so it can be used all day long.

FACT: By the way, the day in the German worldview system usually starts at 12:00

There are various regional variations of the German greetings. For example, in Austria and southern Germany, the greeting is
"Grüß Gott", literally" hail God. "
"Servus!", literally" greetings "

If you are in doubt about which phrase to use in a given situation, you can always say
"Hallo", "Hey".

FACT A: It's always best to start with a more formal address and gradually move to a less formal one if you feel like the other person is okay with.

Enriching your vocabulary!

A little about goodbyes

Greetings in German are an important part of the conversation! Very often, depending on the greeting, the first impression of a person is formed. Today we're going to talk about the German system of welcome words and expressions: just complicated!

Although the culture of communication is changing towards a softening of strict rules, the Germans still formally stick with representatives of other countries and with each other.

This becomes obvious when you consider the options for German greetings, which differ as by time of day when they are used and in different regions where they are in use.

FACT: In Bavaria and southern Germany they usually say: Grüß Gott! ... And in Berlin you can often hear: Schönen Tag!

Or a generic phrase:
"Guten Tag", that is," Hello. " Guten Tag"also means" Good afternoon ", so it can be used all day long.

FACT: By the way, the day in the German worldview system usually starts at 12:00

There are various regional variations of the German greetings. For example, in Austria and southern Germany, the greeting is
"Grüß Gott", literally" hail God. "
"Servus!", literally" greetings "

If you are in doubt about which phrase to use in a given situation, you can always say
"Hallo", "Hey".

FACT A: It's always best to start with a more formal address and gradually move to a less formal one if you feel like the other person is okay with.

Enriching your vocabulary!

A little about goodbyes

Are you learning spoken German? Then the first thing you need to learn is how to say hello. Greetings are one of the most important elements of communication. Agree, it is this that creates the atmosphere of the upcoming conversation. When addressing the interlocutor when meeting with a greeting, first of all, you express your respect and respect.

As with all languages ​​in the world, greetings in Germany are divided into formal and informal. In each case, the style of speech will be different. For friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues, the greeting will be different. Therefore, in order not to get into an awkward situation, it is important to know which greeting to use in each specific case.

Formal greeting

Germans are big fans of formalities. Therefore, when officially addressing, the following words should be used in combination with the surname: Herr, Frau, Dr. When greeting colleagues, boss, business clients, business partners, or just strangers in an elevator, supermarket, cafe, subway or other public places, it is customary in Germany to greet each other depending on the time of day.

"Guten Morgen!" Germans usually speak until noon, and in some parts of Germany until 10 am. "Guten Tag!" used from 12:00 to 18:00. "Guten Abend!" - after 18:00. Many Germans are keen on shortening these greetings. So, instead of the usual "Guten Morgen!" you can often hear melodious "Morgen!"... And sometimes - just "Guten!"... So when you hear only a piece of greeting - don't be surprised!

Do you use these expressions in your letter? Remember: all nouns in German are capitalized.

At lunchtime, you can often hear the word "Mahlzeit!"... Literally it translates as "meal" and also means greeting. After greeting the Germans usually exchange pleasantries. For example:

• Ich freue mich, Sie wieder zu treffen!(Nice to see you again!)
• Sehr erfreut!(Glad to meet you!)
• Wie geht es Ihnen?(How are you doing?)
• Gut, danke!(It's okay, thanks!)
• Und Ihnen?(And you?)

During formal meetings, it is customary to exchange handshakes. Don't forget to do this.

Informal greeting

Greeting family members, relatives and friends, the Germans exchange light kisses on the cheek. One of the most common informal German greetings is "Hallo!"(Hey!). It can be called a little familiar, so usually well-known people exchange it. Even young people often use the phrase "Sei gegrüßt!"(greet one person) and "Seid gegrüßt!"(greet a group of people). These phrases are translated as "Greetings!" "Grüß Dich!" means "I greet you!". These expressions are used only when good acquaintances, friends or loved ones say hello. What follows is, as always, a standard exchange of pleasantries:

• Wie geht es dir?(How are you?)
• Wie geht "s?(How are you?)
• Es geht mir gut.(I'm good)
• Und dir?(And you?)

Recently, you can often hear such short words as "Hey" "Hoi" "Jo" and "Na"... Remember, they also mean "Hello!" The diminutive form of hello in German is "Нallöchen!".

Want to say hello to someone? It's simple:
Gruß bitte (name) von mir!(Say hello from me (to whom - name)!)

Features of greetings by regions of Germany

It is worth remembering that in every region of Germany, people use their own greeting. The exception is the word "Hallo"- it is used everywhere in Germany. For example, in Hamburg and North Germany, people greet "Moin!" or "Moin-moin!"... By the way, this is a greeting "Moin!" comes from the pronunciation of the phrase "(Guten) Morgen!" and can be used around the clock.

In Bavaria and southern Germany, they say hello using the phrase "Grüß Gott!", which means "May God greet you!" German southerners also use the greeting in their speech "Servus!"(Hey!). "Tschallo"- a newfangled youth word that means "Hello and goodbye!".

Goodbye in German

Greetings are inextricably linked to goodbyes. Farewell is an important and integral part of communication. A neutral goodbye in Germany is usually accompanied by the word "Auf Wiedersehen". But most often Germans use the word "Tschüss!"... Did you know that it comes from Spanish "Adios!"(literal translation - "Walk with God")? The inhabitants of North Germany adopted it from the Dutch, transforming it into "Atschüs"... The Swabians, the people of southern Germany, prefer the French word "Adieu"... Therefore, you can still hear the short "Ade!"... If a meeting is just around the corner, the Germans use the following expressions:

• Bis dann!
• Bis später!
• Bis bald!
• Bis nachher!
• Bis gleich!

They are translated as "See you soon!"

Saying goodbye to loved ones, they usually say "Bis bald!" or "Sehen wir uns"(See you soon! Or See you!. Of course, the choice of parting words at the end of the conversation will depend on the degree of closeness and formality that exists between the interlocutors. And finally, do not forget to smile and shake hands in parting! Man sieht sich!(See you!)

After arriving in Germany, I quickly realized something. Young Germans never use the greetings I learned in school.

The only person who told me Guten abend, there was an ice cream seller who was my grandfather's. I quickly realized that Hallo Is the best informal greeting in Germany, and Tschüss- a more typical goodbye than a super-formal Auf wiedersehen.

Having learned these words, I got stuck on them. When you first start learning a language, you repeat the same words all the time. And this is completely normal for a beginner. But after a while you get tired of your own meager vocabulary. If you are looking for options for greetings ( Grüße) and goodbyes ( Abschiedsgrüße), here are some new possibilities.

Even if you have just started learning German, it may be helpful for you to learn all of the options so that when someone greets you with a friendly "Alles klar?", do not look at him in complete bewilderment (as I did several times, until I understood what it means), but confidently answer "Gut, danke!".

9 ways to say hello

• Hallo

As mentioned above, this is the most common German greeting. It is simply pronounced and suitable for almost any situation.

It turns out that the Germans also say so! Feel free to use Hi communicating with young interlocutors in an informal setting.

• Guten Morgen / Guten Abend / Guten Tag

Literally translated "Good morning / evening / afternoon". Although it can be assumed that Guten abend means "Good night", it sounds more old-fashioned for the Germans and closer to the wish of a good evening. Maybe you should save this expression for formal situations or when talking to people who are much older than you. When talking to someone you may call "sir" or "madam" Guten Tag may be an appropriate greeting.

• Wie geht es dir? / Wie geht es Ihnen?

This is how you say in German "How are you?" Use dir when talking to someone younger than you or someone you know well. Ihnen- A suitable formal greeting from a stranger, especially an elder, and those in power. In many English-speaking countries it is customary to say "How are you?" anyone, including waitresses and salespeople. However, this is not so common in Germany, so it is best to use this greeting with people you know.

• Wie geht's?

Likewise Wie geht es dir but more versatile. Essentially, it translates as "How are you?" ( Geht's- abbreviated form geht es, so Wie geht's? literally means "How is it going?"). Ideal for co-workers and friends, but unlikely to be cool with a new boss or super-harsh teacher.

• Was ist los?

This greeting can be somewhat confusing. In colloquial speech, it means the same as Wie geht's: How are you? How are you? How is it? Again, it fits perfectly into a conversation with young people in an informal conversation. However, about "Was ist los?" we must remember that this means “What's wrong?”, especially if you add "Denn". "Was ist denn los?" usually means "What happened", "What's the matter?", and "Was ist hier los?" can be used in the same sense. But don't worry: in a conversation, you will most likely be able to feel the difference in intonation and context questions.

• Alles klar?

Similar to Was ist los, Alles klar it literally translates to "Is everything okay?", but it is often used as an informal greeting among young people. In this context, it means in general the same as the English “What’s up?”.

• Grüß Gött / Grüß dich / Grüß Sie / Grüezi

I have included these expressions in a list for those who may find themselves in Austria, Switzerland, or southern Germany where these greetings are used. Phrase Grüß Gött in northern Germany can surprise any of your interlocutors. Literally means "God welcomes you" and seems like an old-fashioned way of saying "Hello!" anyone not from southern Germany. However, you can definitely hear such greetings in places like Bavaria and Austria. Therefore, it is good to know them in case of visiting these places. But remember: Grüß dich you can talk to people with whom you talked in an informal setting, and to everyone else - Grüß Sie.

• Servus

This is also a southern greeting that can be used as a goodbye as well. As well Grüß dich, You can hear Servus in Bavaria and Austria, as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. Servus in Latin it means "servant" and goes back to the shortened version of the Latin phrase "at your service."

13 ways to say goodbye

• Tschüss, Tschüssi

The German equivalent of "Bye". Tschüss Is a good, informal way to say goodbye in almost any situation.

• Ciao

In my experience, Ciao is extremely common in Berlin, where you can hear it probably as often as Tschüss... Obviously it comes from Italian, which means hello and for now, but in many European countries people tend to use Ciao as a way to say goodbye.

• Auf wiedersehen

As mentioned above, this is a pretty old-fashioned and definitely atypical German goodbye. Perhaps appropriate in formal circumstances. Think of it as "Goodbye!" Too formal for friends or colleagues, isn't it?

• Gute nacht

Not as formal as Gute Morgen / Abend... This is the German version of Good Night.

• Bis bald / Auf bald

Equivalent to "See you soon." A good, informal way to say "Bye!" friends.

• Bis dann / Bis später

Both phrases mean "See you." Exactly like Bis bald, this is a great way to say "Bye!" friends and unofficial acquaintances.

• Wir sehen uns

Another good way to say "See you soon!" If you add "Dann", "Wir sehen uns dann", it will mean "See you then" (there), which might be a good option to say "Bye!" after having planned something with someone.

• Bis zum nächsten Mal

Means "See you next time". This is a way of saying "See you soon" and can be an appropriate way to say goodbye to someone you see regularly. For example, with a fellow student or colleague.

• Wir sprechen uns bald / Wir sprechen uns später

It literally means "We'll talk soon" or "We'll talk later." Equivalent to English "Talk to you later". A good way to end a telephone conversation.

• Auf Wiederhören

This is basically "Let's talk later", another good way to say "Bye!" by phone.

• Schönen Tag (noch) / Schönes Wochenende

These are good ways to say "Bye!" almost anyone. Schönen Tag noch("Noch" is optional, you can hear people say simply Schönen Tag) means "Good afternoon", and Schönes Wochenende- "Have a good weekend". You can often hear sellers use these phrases. If a friend says this, you can answer "Dir auch!" (And you).

• Viel Spaß!

It means "I wish you some fun!" and can be used in many contexts. For example, when parting with friends, going to a party, on a trip, etc.

• Gute Fahrt! / Gute Reise!

It means "Have a nice trip!" A good way to say "Bye!" someone who is going on vacation or any trip.

So, you have just grasped the basic colloquial phrases. What's next? If you are looking for a fun and entertaining way to continue beyond the Hello! and "Bye!", you should go with one of our teachers.

After studying the material in this lesson, you will be able to:

• say hello
• start a conversation with an unfamiliar face
• introduce myself
• ask the name of the interlocutor

Pronunciation lesson (click) - for those who, for whatever reason, have not yet studied it. Now there is the most up-to-date information on German sounds.

Learn words and phrases for dialogue

Pay attention to the form and use of words

1. Sie- personal pronoun of the 3rd person plural, used as a form of politeness (always written with a capital letter). Yes, yes, you heard right, polite you in German it is the 3rd person!
2. sind- 3rd person plural from the linking verb sein"to be".
3. ja used when answering a question in the affirmative without an interrogative word.
4. nein used when the answer is negative to a question without a question word.
5. ich- personal pronoun of the 1st person singular.
6. bin- 1st person singular from a linking verb sein"to be".
7. der- an article (service word) that stands before a noun and determines its gender, number and case. Article der is indicative of masculine nouns.

Memorize nouns with the article!

Remember the main ways of word formation

1. compound (connection of two or more roots)
2. the formation of derivative words using suffixes and prefixes
3. alternating vowel roots
4. substantiation (using parts of speech as nouns)

Practice reading individual words

Wie heißen Sie?

(play) media / sound / de / popov / 01-1.mp3 (/ play)

Grammar explanations

1. In German, unlike Russian, the place of the predicate (verb) in the sentence is strictly fixed, namely:
   

   a) in simple narrative sentence verb costs In second place, the tone decreases towards the end of the sentence:

   c) in an interrogative sentence without an interrogative word verb costs at the first place, the tone rises towards the end of the sentence:

   The words ja and nein do not affect the word order in the sentence.

2. Memorize personal pronouns and the corresponding forms of the linking verb sein"to be", "to be":

   1st person singular

   3rd person plural

   Sie sind

   Unlike the Russian language, the linking verb in German is always present in the sentence. Compare:

   Are you Mr. Bergman?

   Sind Sie Herr Bergmann?

3. Remember that the official address to a man named Lenz is Herr Lenz, and to a woman - Frau Lenz... Appeal Genosse"comrade" is used only when talking with members of socialist and workers' parties. When referring to youth and tourists, the word is often used Freund.

Word order in a German sentence

Each exercise, both this and all subsequent lessons, should be performed first with visual support, that is, looking at an example, and then without visual support. You can check yourself using the key.

1. You are looking for Mr. Mayer. Ask the appropriate question. How would you answer in the place of Mr. Mayer?

2. You are looking for Ms. Berg. Ask the appropriate question. How would you answer if you were not Madame Berg, but List?

3. You are asked what your name is. Answer the question. Ask the other person about the same.