German · Greetings & Essentials
"Hello" in German: hallo
hallo
Hello in German is hallo. It is friendly and works with almost anyone: friends, neighbors, shop staff, and people on the phone. In formal situations, like a job interview, Guten Tag is the safer choice.
Meeting a friend
Hallo, Lena! Schön, dich zu sehen.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce hallo
Say it
HAH-loh
/ˈhalo/
Most people stress the first syllable: HAH-loh. You will also hear ha-LOH, especially when someone calls out to get attention. The o is a pure vowel, without the "oo" glide of English "hello".
"Hello" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| hallo | hello, hi The default. Friendly and fine in most everyday situations. | The default. Friendly and fine in most everyday situations. |
| Guten Tag | good day, hello Formal and polite, for strangers, offices, and older people. | Formal and polite, for strangers, offices, and older people. |
| Moin | hi Northern Germany, at any time of day, not only in the morning. | Northern Germany, at any time of day, not only in the morning. |
| Servus | hi, also bye Informal in Bavaria and Austria. It works for hello and goodbye. | Informal in Bavaria and Austria. It works for hello and goodbye. |
| Grüezi | hello The polite greeting in German-speaking Switzerland. | The polite greeting in German-speaking Switzerland. |
How to use hallo in real life
- 1Meeting a friend
Hallo, Lena! Schön, dich zu sehen.
Hi, Lena! Nice to see you.
Put a comma between hallo and the name when you write it.
- 2At a bakery
Hallo, ich hätte gern zwei Brötchen, bitte.
Hello, I'd like two bread rolls, please.
Greet the staff before you order. Starting straight with your order can feel abrupt.
- 3In a group chat
Hallo zusammen! Wer kommt heute Abend mit?
Hi everyone! Who's coming along tonight?
Hallo zusammen greets a whole group, in person or in a message.
Mistakes English speakers make with hallo
Incorrect: Hallo, wie geht's? (to a cashier)
Correct: Hallo!
In German, Wie geht's? is a real question, not part of the greeting. With strangers, a simple Hallo! or Guten Tag! is enough.
Incorrect: Hallo, Frau Richter! (at a job interview)
Correct: Guten Tag, Frau Richter!
Hallo can sound too casual in formal moments. Use Guten Tag with people you address as Sie for the first time.
Good to know
Hallo works everywhere, but greetings change a lot by region. In the north you will hear Moin, or Moin moin, from morning to night. In Bavaria and Austria people say Grüß Gott or Servus, and in Switzerland Grüezi or, among friends, Hoi. Using the local greeting is a nice way to sound friendly.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting someone new at a café in Hamburg
ChatPal
Hallo! Ist der Platz hier noch frei?
Hi! Is this seat still free?
You
Hallo! Ja, klar, der ist frei.
Hi! Yes, sure, it's free.
ChatPal
Danke! Ich bin übrigens Jonas. Und du?
Thanks! I'm Jonas, by the way. And you?
You
Ich heiße Emma. Freut mich, Jonas!
My name is Emma. Nice to meet you, Jonas!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Hello" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Hello" in German
Is hallo formal or informal?
Hallo is informal but not rude. You can say it to shop staff, neighbors, and colleagues. For a first meeting in a formal setting, or with someone much older, Guten Tag is more polite.
How do people say hello in northern and southern Germany?
In the north, Moin is the everyday greeting. In the south, and in Austria, you will hear Grüß Gott (formal) and Servus (informal). Hallo is understood and used everywhere.
How do you say hello to a group in German?
Say Hallo zusammen or Hallo an alle. Among friends, Hallo ihr Lieben! (Hi, you lovely lot!) is warm and common. In formal emails to a team, Guten Tag zusammen or Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen is common.
Can hallo mean something other than hello?
Yes. Hallo? with a rising voice means "Hello? Is anyone there?" Said sharply, Hallo?! means something like "Excuse me?!" when someone is rude or pushes in line.
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
