How to Say Hello and Goodbye in German

The greetings you use depend on where you are. Use this as your guide.

Step 1: Just say Hi Just say hello, but pronounce it Hallo.
Step 2: Bid people "Good Day" Bid them Guten Tag, or good day, a greeting understood throughout Germany and Austria. You may also use Guten Morgen, which is good morning, and Guten Abend, or good evening.
TIP: Only use Guten Nacht -- good night -- if the person is going to bed.
Step 3: Say Gruss Gott Use Gruss Gott if you're in southern Germany or in Austria. It means "God's greetings."
TIP: Servus is another way to say hello in southern Germany and Austria; it also means "goodbye."
Step 4: Use Moin in the north Use Moin or Moin-Moin in northern Germany. It's short for Morgen, or morning, but it's used any time of the day.
Step 5: Say Hi in Switzerland Greet people in Switzerland with Gruezi or Salu.
Step 6: Bid them farewell To bid a German-speaking person farewell, say Auf Wiedersehen or, less formally, tschuss.
FACT: German is the official language of Lichtenstein.