German · Greetings & Essentials
"Good morning" in German: guten Morgen
guten Morgen
Good morning in German is guten Morgen. Use it until late morning with neighbors, colleagues, and shop staff. Among friends in the north you may also hear Moin.
Entering the office
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How to pronounce guten Morgen
Say it
GOO-ten MOR-gen
/ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩/
GOO-ten MOR-gen. Short u in guten, clear o in Morgen. Stress MOR.
"Good morning" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| guten Morgen | good morning Standard morning greeting. | Standard morning greeting. |
| Morgen! | morning! Short casual form among colleagues. | Short casual form among colleagues. |
| Moin | hi / morning Northern greeting, any time of day. | Northern greeting, any time of day. |
| einen schönen guten Morgen | a lovely good morning Warmer, slightly fuller greeting. | Warmer, slightly fuller greeting. |
How to use guten Morgen in real life
- 1Entering the office
Guten Morgen! Schon Kaffee da?
Good morning! Is there coffee already?
Capitalize Guten Morgen at the start of a sentence.
- 2Texting a friend
Guten Morgen, bist du schon wach?
Good morning, are you awake already?
Fine with du for friends and family.
- 3At a bakery
Guten Morgen, zwei Brezeln bitte.
Good morning, two pretzels please.
Greet first, then order.
Mistakes English speakers make with guten Morgen
Incorrect: Gute Morgen!
Correct: Guten Morgen!
The fixed form is guten Morgen with -en, not gute Morgen.
Incorrect: Guten Morgen! (at 4 p.m.)
Correct: Guten Tag! / Hallo!
After late morning, switch to Guten Tag or Hallo.
Good to know
Germans often greet the whole room when they enter: Guten Morgen together. Skipping a morning greeting in a small office can feel cold. In the north, Moin can replace guten Morgen entirely.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a neighbor in the stairwell
ChatPal
Guten Morgen! Schon unterwegs zur Arbeit?
Good morning! Already off to work?
You
Guten Morgen! Ja, heute früh raus.
Good morning! Yes, out early today.
ChatPal
Same here. Schönen Tag noch nach dem Morgen!
Same here. Have a nice day after the morning!
You
Danke, ebenfalls. Bis später!
Thanks, you too. See you later!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Good morning" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Good morning" in German
Until when can I say guten Morgen?
Roughly until 10 or 11 a.m. Then Guten Tag is safer.
Can I shorten it?
Yes. Morgen! is common with people you see often.
Is Moin the same as guten Morgen?
In the north Moin works as a general hello, not only in the morning.
Do I use du or Sie with guten Morgen?
The greeting itself stays the same; du or Sie shows in what you say next.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
