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Greetings & Introductions in German
German greetings range from formal to casual. These 25 essential phrases cover handshakes, introductions, and goodbyes — with native audio.
Each phrase includes native audio, an English translation, and cultural notes where relevant. Tap any play button to listen.
👋 Grundlegende Grüße — Basic Greetings
1.
Hallo!
Hello! / Hi!
Works in all situations — more versatile than English 'hi'.
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2.
Guten Morgen!
Good morning!
In Bavaria and Austria, 'Grüß Gott!' is the traditional greeting.
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3.
Guten Tag!
Good day! / Good afternoon!
Preferred formal greeting in professional settings.
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4.
Gute Nacht.
Good night.
'Gute Nacht' — 'Nacht' is feminine, so the ending is 'e' not 'en'.
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5.
Wie geht es Ihnen?
How are you? (formal)
Formal (uses 'Sie'). Casual: 'Wie geht's?' or 'Wie geht es dir?'
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🙋 Sich Vorstellen — Introductions
6.
Ich heiße Thomas.
My name is Thomas.
'Ich heiße' is most natural. 'Mein Name ist' is slightly more formal.
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7.
Wie heißen Sie?
What is your name? (formal)
Germans take the Sie/du distinction seriously — wait for someone to offer 'du' first.
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8.
Schön, Sie kennenzulernen.
Nice to meet you.
A firm handshake is standard when meeting someone in Germany.
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9.
Ich komme aus Deutschland.
I'm from Germany.
Replace 'Deutschland' with your country name in German.
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10.
Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
I speak a little German.
Germans appreciate any attempt at their language — this phrase is a great icebreaker.
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👋 Verabschiedungen — Farewells
11.
Auf Wiedersehen!
Goodbye! (formal)
Formal. 'Tschüss!' is far more common in everyday conversation.
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12.
Tschüss!
Bye! (casual)
The most commonly used farewell in everyday German.
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13.
Bis morgen!
See you tomorrow!
'Bis' is versatile: 'bis später', 'bis bald', 'bis nächste Woche'.
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14.
Schönen Tag noch!
Have a nice day!
'Noch' implies 'for the rest of the day' — a distinctly German nuance.
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15.
Pass auf dich auf!
Take care!
'Aufpassen' is a separable verb — 'auf' moves to the end of the sentence.
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🤝 Höflichkeitsphrasen — Courtesy Phrases
16.
Bitte.
Please. / You're welcome. / Here you go.
'Bitte' means please, you're welcome, AND here you go. Context is everything.
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17.
Danke schön!
Thank you very much!
Reply with 'Bitte schön!' or simply 'Bitte!'
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18.
Gern geschehen.
You're welcome. / My pleasure.
Casual alternatives: 'Kein Problem' or 'Nichts zu danken.'
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19.
Es tut mir leid.
I'm sorry. (sincere)
For sincere apologies. Minor situations: 'Entschuldigung' or 'Verzeihung'.
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20.
Entschuldigung.
Excuse me. / Sorry.
Covers 'excuse me', 'pardon me', and minor apologies all in one.
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💬 Sprachhilfe — Language Help
21.
Ja.
Yes.
Colloquial alternatives: 'jo' or 'joa' (common in spoken German).
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22.
Nein.
No.
Informal: 'ne' or 'nee' are common in spoken German.
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23.
Ich verstehe nicht.
I don't understand.
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24.
Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
Could you please speak more slowly?
Using 'könnten' (could) instead of 'können' (can) shows politeness.
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25.
Sprechen Sie Englisch?
Do you speak English?
Many Germans speak English well, but making the effort in German is greatly appreciated.
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