Core phrases

1. Hallo — informal between friends; common on the phone before names are known.
2. Guten Morgen / Guten Tag / Guten Abend — time-based; standard at work and with strangers.
3. Auf Wiedersehen — neutral-formal goodbye.
4. Tschüss — casual; mostly with friends.

Sie in service situations

Staff greet customers with Guten Tag and may say Schönen Tag noch when you leave.

Mini dialogue

• Guten Tag, mein Name ist Anna.
• Guten Tag, wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?

Capitalisation

Fixed greetings like Guten Tag capitalise Guten; do not write guten Tag as a standalone greeting.

Practical Examples

1. Hallo!

Hello! Usage note: A very common and informal greeting, suitable for almost any situation.

1. Guten Tag!

Good day! Usage note: A standard, more formal greeting used during the daytime (roughly 10 AM to 6 PM).

1. Guten Morgen!

Good morning! Usage note: Used specifically in the morning, generally until around noon.

1. Guten Abend!

Good evening! Usage note: Used in the evening, typically from around 6 PM onwards.

1. Gute Nacht!

Good night! Usage note: This is primarily a farewell, used when going to bed or parting ways late at night.

1. Tschüss!

Bye! Usage note: An informal goodbye, commonly used among friends, family, and peers.

1. Auf Wiedersehen!

Goodbye! (Until we see again!) Usage note: A more formal goodbye, appropriate for strangers, colleagues, or in business settings.

1. Hallo, wie geht es dir?

Hello, how are you? (informal) Usage note: Combining a greeting with a common follow-up question to ask about someone's well-being.

1. Guten Tag, Herr Schmidt.

Good day, Mr. Schmidt. Usage note: Using a formal greeting with a title and surname shows respect.

1. Tschüss, bis bald!

Bye, see you soon! Usage note: An informal goodbye combined with an expression indicating a future meeting.

1. Wir sagen Tschüss.

We say bye. Usage note: This shows how to use "Tschüss" as a noun or part of a verb phrase, describing the act of saying goodbye.

1. Guten Morgen, Frau Müller. Haben Sie gut geschlafen?

Good morning, Ms. Müller. Did you sleep well? Usage note: A polite morning greeting followed by a common question to someone you know.

1. Sagen Sie Guten Tag?

Are you saying "Good day"? Usage note: Forming a question about the act of greeting formally.

1. Hallo, ich bin Anna.

Hello, I am Anna. Usage note: A simple and direct way to greet someone and introduce yourself.

1. Guten Abend, zusammen!

Good evening, everyone! Usage note: A greeting directed at a group of people in the evening.