Hello in German - goodbye in German. Farewell in German - German online - Start Deutsch Greetings in a letter in German

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

• say hello
• start a conversation with a stranger
• introduce yourself
• ask the other person's name

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

Learn words and expressions 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's the 3rd person!
2. sind- 3rd person plural of linking verb sein"be".
3. ja used when answering a question in the affirmative without a question word.
4. nein used for a negative answer 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"be".
7. der- an article (functional word) that stands before a noun and determines its gender, number and case. Article der is an indicator of masculine nouns.

You should memorize nouns with articles!

Remember the basic ways of word formation

1. compounding (combining two or more roots)
2. formation of derivative words using suffixes and prefixes
3. root vowel alternation
4. substantivization (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 a sentence is strictly fixed, namely:
   

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

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

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

2. Remember personal pronouns and their corresponding linking verb forms sein"to be", "to be":

   1st person singular

   3rd person plural

   Sie sind

   Unlike the Russian language, the linking verb in the German language is necessarily 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 the socialist and workers' parties. When addressing young people and tourists, the word is often used Freund.

Word order in a German sentence

Each exercise in 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 a relevant question. How would you answer if you were Mr. Mayer?

2. You are looking for Mrs. Berg. Ask a relevant question. How would you answer if you were not Mrs. Berg, but Liszt?

3. They ask you what your name is. Answer the question. Ask your interlocutor about the same.

Learning foreign languages ​​starts with basic things like greetings and farewells. German is a very diverse language, so there are many ways to say “hello” and “bye”.

In addition, almost every region of Germany has its own unique words of greeting and farewell. Often these words have an interesting history and non-standard rules of use. If you want to travel freely in Germany, it is better to learn these standard etiquette phrases in advance.

In this lesson we will introduce you to the basic expressions that are used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Learning to say hello in German in an informal situation

Hallo. This is one of the most popular German greetings, an analogue of the Russian “hello”. Unlike the Russian version, Hallo is used not only in informal, but also in official settings.

This is how you can greet teachers, work colleagues, and even your superiors if you have friendly relations.

Hallöchen. In German, you can form new greetings based on already familiar expressions and words. For example, Hallöchen. This word is formed from Hallo (hello) + chen (diminutive suffix). This translates into Russian as “hello.”

Halli hallo. It sounds quite unusual and is an informal way of greeting among close friends.

Please note that during a friendly meeting, it is customary among German youth to hug and sometimes even kiss.

What else do Germans say when they say hello?

In addition to the greeting expressions and phrases themselves, Germans often ask non-binding questions, such as “how are you” or “how are you feeling?” Here are the most common questions:

Wie geht’ s? This is short for wie geht es dir/Ihnen (how are you/you doing). A very common expression that is often used in conjunction with friendly greetings such as "Hallo" or "Hi".

Wie steht’ s? Literally the expression is translated as “what it’s worth.” Nonsense right? This is because the phrase is a parody of the expression wie geht's, which literally means “as it goes”, i.e. "How are you". Very often wie steht's is used together with wie geht's in the same greeting, for example, "Hallo, wie geht's, wie steht's?"

Wohin des Wegs? This is not exactly a greeting, but rather a related question that can often be heard during a conversation between two acquaintances in Germany. It translates approximately as “where are you going” or “where are you going”.

How to say hello in Germany at work and during official meetings

Guten Morgen. This is one of the most familiar expressions to Russians, which translates as “Good morning.” Morning in Germany starts from 6:00 to 12:00.

Guten Tag. "Good afternoon" is one of the basic formal greetings in the German language. Used from 12:00 to 18:00.

Guten Abend. Another greeting based on the time of day. It is translated into Russian as “Good evening” and is used from 18:00 to 00:00.

All other time up to 6:00 is considered night. There is also a phrase for this time of day - Gute Nacht. As you might guess, it means “Good night” and is essentially not a greeting, but a farewell.

German also has shortened versions of formal greetings, such as Morgen, Tag, ‘n Abend. They are often used as a response to full greetings.

Mahlzeit. A popular greeting among good friends with a very interesting story. It comes from the expression "Gesegnete Mahlzeit", which is essentially a blessing before eating. Later, in the 19th century, the phrase was shortened to Mahlzeit, and even later it began to be used as a greeting in the middle of the day.

Please note that Mahlzeit is not commonly used in business or among office workers.

Regional greetings in Germany

The German language consists of a large number of mutually incomprehensible dialects. Even native speakers experience difficulties when meeting people from other regions. It is not surprising that almost every dialect has its own, unique greetings.

Grüß Gott. Approximate translation: "Greetings with God." The greeting came from Protestant backgrounds and is used today in the southern regions of Germany and Austria.

Grü ezi/ grü ezi miteinand. The Swiss version of the greeting translates as “hello.”

Servus. "Greetings" in Austrian.

Moin. Greetings to the north of Germany. Sometimes a double version of Moin moin is used.

The word Moin vaguely resembles the standard German Morgen, but, in fact, this similarity is coincidental and both greetings coexist perfectly together.

Gude. A common greeting in Hesse.

Jo/oh. Informal greeting in Rheingau.

Professional greetings in Germany

In Germany, there are a large number of special greetings that are common only among people of a specific occupation.

Horrido- hunters and travelers.

Glück Auf- miners.

Gut Pfad- scouts.

Gut Wehr- firefighters.

Obsolete German pivets

Like any other language, German has many outdated greetings that should only be used in an ironic context.

Habe die Ehre. Something like “I have the honor.” In the past it was used to invite people to dance.

Salve. A greeting that comes from Latin and was popular until the 19th century.

Borrowed greetings in German

Often, when communicating with friends in Germany, you can hear greetings that came into the German language from other languages.

Hi. This greeting came to German from English and is also translated as “hello”. Thanks to the widespread fashion for the English language, Hi has become firmly entrenched among young people.

Salü/Salut. French version of a friendly greeting.

“Goodbye” or how to say goodbye in German in a formal setting

Auf Wiedersehen. Standard and official farewell. Russian translation is “goodbye”.

Please note that when talking on the phone, Germans never say “Auf Wiedersehen” because they cannot see the other person. Instead, a special form of "Auf Wiederhören!" is used, which literally translates as "before the hearing".

How friends say goodbye in Germany

Tschüss. Among friends, an informal farewell, “bye,” is more common. You can also say goodbye using this word in the business sphere if you have good relationships with your colleagues.

It's hard to believe, but the word tschüss comes from the French farewell adieu. The French adieu is derived from the Latin ad deum. In Belgium the phrase was pronounced adjuus. It is from this variant that the German farewell atschüs is later formed. It is believed that it was brought with them by the Huguenots who fled to Germany from France.

Tschü ssikowski. Derived from the word Tschüss and became popular after the release of the TV series Die Zwei. The suffix “owski” gives the word a funny Slavic sound.

Tschü ssie. Women's version of farewell. Translates roughly as “poki.”

Mach’ s gut. Full version mach es gut. An informal farewell, an analogue of the Russian “come on” or “byvay”.

Bis Dann- “see you soon.”

Regional farewells in German

Auf Wiederschauen. Austrian version auf Wiedersehen. The phrase is derived from the verb schauen - “to look”.

Adieu. "Bye" in Switzerland. Notice that the word sounds French? This is the French language. The fact is that in Switzerland there is a fairly strong influence of the French language and many words penetrated into the Swiss version of the German language from French.

Borrowed goodbyes

Ciao. As you might guess, ciao comes from the Italian language and is an informal way to say goodbye to someone you know. Compare, “ciao” in Russian.

More German practice with Christfof

If you want to learn to communicate in German, sign up for first free lesson in our online center. The class will be taught by one of our professional tutors from Germany– Christoph Deininger and Eliane Roth. They will be happy to answer all your questions related to the German language and German culture, and will also help you create the optimal class schedule.

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

As in 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, and colleagues, the greeting will be different. Therefore, in order to avoid getting into an awkward situation, it is important to know which greeting to use in each specific case.

Formal greeting

The Germans are big fans of formalities. Therefore, when formally addressing the following words should be used in combination with the surname: Herr, Frau, Dr. When greeting colleagues, boss, business clients, business partners, just strangers in an elevator, supermarket, cafe, subway or other public places, in Germany it is customary to say hello 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 to 18 hours. "Guten Abend!" – after 18:00. Many Germans are big fans of shortening these greetings. So, instead of the usual “Guten Morgen!” you can often hear melodious "Morgen!". And sometimes it’s just "Guten!". So if you hear only a piece of greeting, don’t be surprised!

Do you use these expressions in your writing? Remember: all nouns in German are written with a capital letter.

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

• Ich freue mich, Sie wieder zu treffen!(Nice to see you again!)
• Sehr erfreut!(Nice to meet you!)
• Wie geht es Ihnen?(How are you doing?)
• Gut, danke!(Everything is fine, thank you!)
• Und Ihnen?(What about you?)

During formal meetings, it is customary to shake hands. Don't forget to do this.

Informal greeting

When greeting family members, loved ones and friends, Germans exchange light kisses on the cheek. One of the most common informal German greetings is "Hallo!"(Hello!). It can be called a little familiar, so it is usually exchanged between people who know each other well. Young people also often use the phrase “Sei gegrüßt!”(say hello to one person) and "Seid gegrüßt!"(say hello to a group of people). These phrases are translated as “Greetings!” "Grüß Dich!" means “I greet you!” These expressions are used only when greeting good acquaintances, friends or relatives. What follows, as always, is the standard exchange of pleasantries:

• Wie geht es dir?(How are you doing?)
• Wie geht's?(How are you?)
• Es geht mir gut.(I'm fine)
• Undir?(And you?)

Lately you can often hear such short words as "Hey", "Hoi", "Jo" and "Na". Remember, they also mean “Hello!” Diminutive form of hello in German - "Hallöchen!".

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

Features of greetings by region of Germany

It is worth remembering that in each 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 Northern Germany people greet with the word "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 people say hello using the phrase "Grüß Gott!", which means “God greet you!” Southern Germans also use the greeting in their speech "Servus!"(Hello!). "Tschallo"– a newfangled youth word that means “Hello and goodbye!”

Saying goodbye in German

Greetings are inextricably linked with farewells. Farewell is an important and integral part of communication. A neutral farewell 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 - “Go with God”)? Residents of Northern Germany adopted it from the Dutch, transforming it into "atschüs". Swabians - residents of Southern Germany - prefer the French word "Adieu". That's why you can still hear the short "Ade!". If a meeting is around the corner, Germans use the following expressions:

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

They translate as “See you soon!”

When 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 farewell words at the end of the conversation will depend on the degree of intimacy and formality that exists between the interlocutors. And finally, do not forget to smile and shake your hand in farewell. ! Man sieht sich!(See you again!)

Hallo and Tschüs or Guten Tag and Auf Weidersehen - learned and order! Why bother with other forms of greeting and farewell? Well, well... There are actually a lot more of them in the German language. And if you are not going to use them, then you will still have to understand the interlocutor.

Let's start with regional forms. You learn and learn German, and then you come to the south of Germany and at the very first bakery you blink at the words of the saleswoman.

"Grüß Cott!" — she says, smiling. "Gott? “What does God have to do with it,” you think. And this, it turns out, is a form of greeting. Literally translated as “Salute God!” By the way, Northern Germans are not familiar with this phrase, so it is better not to train on them. They usually answer this: “I’m not going that far today,” or “definitely, if I meet him.”

“Grüß dich” - this is a more understandable form - “I greet you” - is also used mainly by southerners, but the previous one is much more common.

Other regions of Germany have different greetings: the above-mentioned northerners greet with a short word - Moin.

Servus! - serves both as a greeting among some German peoples - Swabians and indigenous Bavarians, and as a farewell among the latter.

And those who live in the German state of Hesse can greet you with the word Gude!

I found this map in one magazine, which shows in which regions of Germany what the greeting is. Please note that even the usual Guten Tag is less common to certain regions. Wow!!!

Hallo (like Tschüss), by the way, is appropriate to use in any situation - both in the city administration and when addressing older people, and even the boss.

And many Germans like to shorten the usual Guten Morgen, Guten Abend, Guten Tag- dropping the adjective. All mothers greet each other in the morning in the garden, chanting the word Morgen - moooorgeeen!!! Well, that’s right, why say an extra word if you don’t know whether your interlocutor had a good morning or, as usual, so-so...

And some, on the contrary, discard the second part of the above combinations and greet only with an adjective: Guten!!!

Also, “hello in German” sometimes sounds like this: Hey! or Hoi! , and sometimes even two-letter ones: Jo! or Na!

There are also a decent bunch of special German greetings - used among sailors, among foresters, among fishermen and far in the mountainous regions.

And at noon, when all the Germans are walking together for lunch, you will hear the word - Mahlzeit! - the literal translation of which is “meal”. But this word is also a greeting!

The usual greeting in German - Hallo - is also often transformed. Either in a diminutive form: Hallöchen, or almost in a song: Hallihallohallöle. Or in a whole verse: Hallo, wie geht´s, wie steht´s?- Hello, how are you doing?

And some more greeting phrases:

Hallo alle! - Hi all!

Gruß euch, alle miteinander! - Greetings to everyone!

Guten abend allerseits! - Good evening everyone!

Seien Sie gegrüßt! - We welcome you!

Sei tausendmal gegrüßt! - A thousand greetings to you!

How to say hello in German

Sometimes you need to not just say that “hello”, but convey it to someone. This is how the Germans do it:

Grüß bitte Sofia von mir! — Say hello to Sofia for me!

Bestell ihm viele Grüße von mir! - Say hello to him from me!

Ich soll dich herzlich von Erik grüßen. - I give you heartfelt greetings from Klaus!

Er lässt dich herzlich grüßen. - He says hello to you!

Übermitteln Sie allen Mitarbeitern meine herzlichen Grüße! — Please convey my heartfelt greetings to all employees.

Forms of farewell in German

The main form of farewell is Tschüs - bye. History claims that this form was adopted from the Spaniards and comes from the Spanish form - "adios" - literally "go with God!" The Dutch transformed this word into “atjüs”, and then the northern Germans heard this word from their neighbors and began to use it too, transforming it into “atschüs”.

But other Germans - the Swabians - liked the French adieu more and, throwing away a couple of letters, began to say goodbye with the short word ade! - and continue to do so - in particular in !

The Italian “ciao” was also not ignored. Only at first they remade it in their own way - ciao! It is mainly used by Swiss Germans, but also in regions bordering this country - it is also very popular. And you can even hear it in Munich!

And the Germans say goodbye like this:

Bis morgen! - See you tomorrow!

Mach´s gut! - Be healthy!

Schönen Feierabend! — Have a nice time after work!

Schönes Wochenende! - Have a nice weekend!

Man sieht sich. - See you later!

Auf Wiedersehen! - Goodbye!

And the Germans are very fond of the phrase “see you soon”, and in different variations:

Bis gleich! Bis bald! Bis dann! Bis später!

And, finally, let me remind YOU that when greeting Germans, be sure to extend your hand and shake vigorously, whether it’s a man or a woman. And when saying goodbye - if you have chosen Tschüs from the proposed options - recite it in a chant. Because this is probably the most musical German word and the Germans do not pronounce it, but sing it. Therefore, I wish you all the best and Ttttttsssssssccccchhhhhhüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Greeting in German is an important part of conversation! Very often, depending on the greeting, the first impression of a person is formed. Today we’ll talk about the German system of greeting words and expressions: just something complicated!

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

This becomes obvious if we consider the options for German greetings, which vary 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 universal phrase:
"Guten Tag", that is, "Hello." Guten Tag" also means "Good afternoon", so it can be used throughout the day.

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

There are various regional variations of German greetings. For example, in Austria and southern Germany the greeting is
"Grüß Gott", literally "Greetings to God." And also common
"Servus!", literally "hello"

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

FACT: It is always better to start with a more formal address and gradually move to a less formal one if you feel that your interlocutor does not mind.

Let's expand our vocabulary!

A little about goodbyes