German · Greetings & Essentials
"What's up?" in German: was geht? / wie läuft's?
was geht? / wie läuft's?
What's up in German is was geht? or wie läuft's? Both are casual check-ins with friends. A simple reply is Nix Besonderes or Alles gut.
Street run-in
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How to pronounce was geht? / wie läuft's?
Say it
vass gayt / vee loyfts
/vas ˈɡeːt/ /viː ˈlɔʏfts/
vass gayt / vee loyfts. Geht like "gate" with g; läuft with oi-like äu.
"What's up?" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| was geht? | what's up? Very casual. | Very casual. |
| wie läuft's? | how's it going? Friendly check-in. | Friendly check-in. |
| Was geht bei dir? | what's up with you? Personal. | Personal. |
| Alles klar? | all good? Soft alternative. | Soft alternative. |
How to use was geht? / wie läuft's? in real life
- 1Street run-in
Hey! Was geht?
Hey! What's up?
Was geht?
- 2Voice message
Hi — wie läuft's? Melde dich kurz.
Hi — how's it going? Ping me quickly.
Wie läuft's?
- 3Group chat
Leute, was geht heute Abend?
Folks, what's up tonight?
Plans sense.
Mistakes English speakers make with was geht? / wie läuft's?
Incorrect: Was ist up?
Correct: Was geht? / Wie läuft's?
Don't mix English up into the German greeting.
Incorrect: Wie geht? (incomplete)
Correct: Wie geht's? / Wie läuft's?
Need 's / es, or use was geht?
Good to know
Was geht? is youthfully casual — fine with friends, odd with your boss. Wie läuft's? works a bit more broadly among peers.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a friend outside the gym
ChatPal
Oh, hi!
Oh, hi!
You
Was geht? Lange nicht gesehen.
What's up? Long time no see.
ChatPal
Ganz gut. Wie läuft's bei dir?
Pretty good. How's it going for you?
You
Stressig, aber okay.
Stressful, but okay.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What's up?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What's up?" in German
How do you say what's up?
Was geht? or wie läuft's?
How do you reply?
Nix Besonderes / Alles gut / Läuft.
Formal greeting?
Use Wie geht es Ihnen? instead.
Was geht heute Abend?
Can also mean what's on tonight.
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
