"Guten Tag" (Good day) or “Hallo” (Hello) are the most common verbal greetings used in Germany. In the South, some people may say “Grüß Gott” (literally translating as 'Greet God'). In formal situations, one should address another person with their title and last name, “Herr” (Mr.) for men and “Frau” (Mrs.)
Hallo is the simplest and most straightforward way to say 'hello' in German. It's short, sweet, and common across the entire German-speaking world. Besides, it's friendly and can be used successfully in any social situation – either formal or informal.
Guten Tag means good day and is generally used from midday until about 6 p.m. Guten Abend means good evening and is used starting at about 6 p.m.
The formal version of how are you in German is Wie geht es Ihnen?
Very often people just reply with the same thing that has been said to them. Guten Morgen, Franz! – Guten Morgen, Helmut! Good morning, Franz!
When someone says danke, the standard response is bitte. This normally means 'please', but within the context of responding to a 'thank you', it means 'you're welcome'. If instead they say danke schön, then you should reply by saying bitte schön.
"Guten Tag" (Good day) or “Hallo” (Hello) are the most common verbal greetings used in Germany. In the South, some people may say “Grüß Gott” (literally translating as 'Greet God'). In formal situations, one should address another person with their title and last name, “Herr” (Mr.) for men and “Frau” (Mrs.)
It is polite to address everyone by their family name and "Sie." Do not leave off double-barreled names, such as Frau Müller-Weber. Names are inserted into conversation after every few sentences.
The phrases above also work for attracting someone's attention in German, although more informally you might just want to shout Hallo! or Hey! If you are trying to attract the attention of one person in particular, use Herr xxx or Frau xxx. Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Schumm!
No, Germans do not use dear often, they do not even use it seldomly.
Though "sehr geehrte" can be roughly translated as dear, it's a far more formal version of the casual and friendly "liebe" and can also mean "honoured" or "esteemed".
A straightforward possibility is “guten Tag,” “guten Abend” and “gute Nacht” to also say goodbye.
It's considered impolite to leave food on your plate. If you aren't sure what to do, watch what others are doing. Also feel free, as a stranger in a strange land, to ask your host discreetly about what is appropriate.
Compliments In German. You are sweet! — Du bist süß! You have beautiful eyes. — Du hast schöne Augen.
From the first drink to the fourth round, don't forget a quick “Prost!” or “Ein Prosit” before taking your first sip. Always make eye contact when toasting. Don't toast with water. It's considered bad luck in Germany.
Prost, it rhymes with toast! Prost us a quick and easy way to toast your drinks, while still adding a bit of German flair to the occasion. You can also say, “ein Prost!” which means, “a toast!”
Bitte is an easy-to-remember and universally accepted “you're welcome” in German.