In this workshop you will practice short, friendly German greetings for people you already know. You will hear a simple hello, a casual hey, and a short exchange where one person asks how things are going and the other replies. The goal is to say the lines smoothly and to understand which reply fits which question.
Greetings and Checking In
Start with a simple hello. «Hallo!» means "Hello!" and works as a neutral, friendly greeting. A more casual option is «Hey!», which means "Hey!" and fits friends or people you see often. When you want to add a quick check-in, «Na?» means "Hey, what's up?" and combines the casual greeting with a short question. If you only want the question, «Was geht?» means "What's up?" or "How's it going?" and can stand alone. These lines are short, so practice them slowly first, then at a natural speed.
A Short Exchange
In this scene, one person greets and asks how things are going, and the other person answers. Person A says «Hey, was geht?», which means "Hey, what's up?" Person B replies with «Nicht viel, und dir?», meaning "Not much, and you?" Person A then says «Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?», which means "Also okay. Morning, everything good?" Person B closes with «Ja, alles gut. Bis später!», meaning "Yes, all good. See you later!" Notice the order: greeting and question first, then the reply, then a follow-up, then a closing answer. Keep that order when you practice, even if you switch who reads which part.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Hallo!
Hello!
HAH-loh
Hey!
Hey!
hay
Na?
Hey, what's up?
nah
Was geht?
What's up? / How's it going?
vahs gayt
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Hey, was geht?
Hey, what's up?Nicht viel, und dir?
Not much, and you?Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?
Also okay. Morning, everything good?Ja, alles gut. Bis später!
Yes, all good. See you later!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Greeting Exchange
You are meeting a friend in the morning. One learner reads Person A, the other reads Person B. Use the recording lines in order.
Your task: Person A says «Hey, was geht?». Person B replies with «Nicht viel, und dir?». Person A continues with «Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?». Person B finishes with «Ja, alles gut. Bis später!». Read each line aloud once, then swap roles and read the same order again.
Choose the Right Reply
You hear a greeting or question and choose the reply that fits. The reply options are taught lines from the recordings.
Your task: For each prompt, choose the best reply. Prompt 1: «Hey, was geht?». Prompt 2: «Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?». Options: «Nicht viel, und dir?» or «Ja, alles gut. Bis später!». Say your choice aloud, then say the full reply line.
Recall and Role Swap
Cover the lines. You will rebuild the short exchange from memory, then swap roles and rebuild it again.
Your task: From memory, say the four lines in order: greeting and question, reply, follow-up, closing answer. Use «Hey, was geht?», «Nicht viel, und dir?», «Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?», and «Ja, alles gut. Bis später!». Then swap roles and say the same four lines in the same order.
Common questions
Can I use these greetings at any time of day?
The greetings «Hallo!» and «Hey!» are simple and friendly. The exchange includes «Auch okay. Morgen, alles gut?», which contains a morning greeting, so that line fits a morning scene. For other times, use the greetings you have practiced and keep the same question-then-reply order.
What should I say if someone asks me «Was geht?»?
A short reply like «Nicht viel, und dir?» fits the question and keeps the exchange going. It means "Not much, and you?" and returns the question to the other person. After that, you can close with a line like «Ja, alles gut. Bis später!» when you are ready to leave.
Sources and further reading
- german: greet friends casuallyChecked September 2026
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