Greetings & Goodbyes (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Greetings & Goodbyes
Learning how to greet people and say goodbye properly is essential when starting to speak German. These basic expressions will help you make a good first impression and show politeness in everyday conversations.
Cultural Context
When Germans meet, they generally shake hands as a sign of respect and politeness. This applies to both formal and informal situations, though younger people might be more casual among friends.
Basic greetings
Here are the most common ways to say hello in German:
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Guten Tag | Hello | goo-ten tahk |
| Hallo | Hi | hal-loh |
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? (formal) | vee geht es ee-nen? |
| Danke, gut | Fine, thanks | dan-ke, goot |
| Und Ihnen? | And you? (formal) | oont ee-nen? |
The phrase "Guten Tag" is the standard, polite way to greet someone during the day. "Hallo" is more casual and works well with friends or people your own age.
Example Conversation:
Person A: Guten Tag, Herr Müller! (Hello, Mr Müller!) Person B: Guten Tag! Wie geht es Ihnen? (Hello! How are you?) Person A: Danke, gut. Und Ihnen? (Fine, thanks. And you?)
Casual version: Person A: Hallo! Wie geht es dir? (Hi! How are you? - informal) Person B: Hallo! Gut, danke! (Hi! Good, thanks!)
Time-specific greetings
German has different greetings depending on the time of day:
| German | English | Pronunciation | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guten Morgen | Good morning | goo-ten mor-gen | Until about 10am |
| Guten Abend | Good evening | goo-ten ah-bent | From about 6pm |
| Gute Nacht | Goodnight | goo-te nakht | When going to bed |
Notice how "Guten" changes to "Gute" with "Nacht" - this is because "Nacht" is feminine in German. This is an example of German grammar where adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe.
Time-Specific Greeting Examples:
Morning greeting:
- Guten Morgen! Haben Sie gut geschlafen? (Good morning! Did you sleep well?)
Evening farewell:
- Gute Nacht und süße Träume! (Goodnight and sweet dreams!)
Saying goodbye
There are several ways to say goodbye in German:
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye | owf vee-der-zehn |
| Tschüss | Bye | tshuess |
| Bis später | See you later | bis shpeh-ter |
| Bis morgen | See you tomorrow | bis mor-gen |
"Auf Wiedersehen" is formal and polite, whilst "Tschüss" is casual. The "bis" phrases are useful when you know when you'll see the person again.
Goodbye Examples:
Formal farewell:
- Auf Wiedersehen, Frau Schmidt! (Goodbye, Mrs Schmidt!)
- Haben Sie einen schönen Tag! (Have a nice day!)
Casual farewell:
- Tschüss! Bis später! (Bye! See you later!)
- Bis morgen! (See you tomorrow!)
Polite expressions
These expressions will help you be polite in German conversations:
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Bitte | Please/You're welcome | bit-e |
| Danke schön | Thank you very much | dan-ke shern |
| Entschuldigung! | Excuse me!/Sorry! | ent-shool-di-goong |
| Wie, bitte? | Pardon?/What? | vee bit-e? |
| Ja | Yes | yah |
| Nein | No | nyn |
Polite Expression Examples:
Asking for help:
- Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie Englisch? (Excuse me, do you speak English?)
Showing gratitude:
- Danke schön für Ihre Hilfe! (Thank you very much for your help!)
When you don't understand:
- Wie, bitte? Können Sie das wiederholen? (Pardon? Can you repeat that?)
Titles and forms of address
When greeting people formally, you'll need these titles:
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Herr | Mr/Sir | her |
| Frau | Mrs/Ms/Madam | frow |
Important Note about "Fräulein"
The title "Fräulein" (Miss) is no longer commonly used in modern German, as it can sound rather old-fashioned and patronising. "Frau" is now used for all adult women regardless of marital status, similar to how "Ms" is used in English.
Formal Address Examples:
Meeting someone new:
- Guten Tag, Herr Weber! (Hello, Mr Weber!)
- Wie geht es Ihnen, Frau Klein? (How are you, Mrs Klein?)
In professional settings:
- Herr Müller, könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? (Mr Müller, could you please help me?)
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Guidelines
- The German "ch" sound in "ich" doesn't exist in English - try to make a soft hissing sound
- "Tschüss" starts with a "ts" sound, like the end of "cats"
- The "ü" in "Tschüss" is pronounced like the French "u" - purse your lips as if to say "oo" but try to say "ee"
- German "w" sounds like English "v"
Translation exercises
Practice Exercise: Translation
- Guten Morgen! Wie geht es Ihnen?
- Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie Englisch?
- Good evening, Mrs Müller!
- Bye! See you tomorrow!
Answers:
- Good morning! How are you?
- Excuse me, do you speak English?
- Guten Abend, Frau Müller!
- Tschüss! Bis morgen!
Common mistakes & tips
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong register: Don't mix formal and informal language. If you use "Sie" (formal you), stick to formal greetings like "Guten Tag" rather than "Hallo".
Overcomplicating: Remember that you don't need to say complicated things to communicate effectively. Often simply naming what you want and adding "bitte" (please) will work perfectly well.
Forgetting cultural norms: Remember to shake hands when meeting someone for the first time or in formal situations.
Pronunciation: Don't worry about perfect pronunciation at first, but do try to pronounce the "ch" sound correctly in words like "ich spreche" (I speak).
Key Points to Remember:
- Use "Guten Tag" for polite, general greetings and "Hallo" for casual situations
- Time-specific greetings show cultural awareness: "Guten Morgen", "Guten Abend", "Gute Nacht"
- "Auf Wiedersehen" is formal goodbye, "Tschüss" is casual
- Always use "Frau"for adult women - "Fräulein" is outdated
- Germans typically shake hands when greeting, especially in formal situations