In this workshop you will practice German greetings for different times of day and different people. You will hear short lines and choose the right greeting for a formal or informal situation. You will also practice a short exchange and check your own answers. The recordings give you clear models to listen to and repeat. You can play both roles when you practice aloud.
Formal Greetings by Time of Day
German has greetings that change with the time of day. In the morning, people often say «Guten Morgen», which means good morning. Later in the day, a common formal greeting is «Guten Tag», meaning good day. In the evening, you can use «Guten Abend», which means good evening. These three greetings can work in formal and everyday situations, for example with a teacher, a doctor, or someone you have just met. They are polite and safe in many daily situations. Listen to each recording and repeat it slowly. Pay attention to the first word, which stays the same in all three. Then practice saying them in order: morning, day, evening.
Informal Greetings with Friends
The recording «Hallo, Tim! Wie geht's?» greets Tim and asks how things are going. Tim answers «Hallo! Gut, danke.» meaning Hello! Good, thanks. This is a separate casual scene from the Frau Müller exchange. Hallo can also occur in neutral situations; it is not determined by the speakers being the same age. The formal distinction in the other scene is Ihnen.
A Short Formal Exchange
Now listen to a short formal exchange. One person says «Guten Morgen, Frau Müller.», which means good morning, Mrs. Müller. The other person replies with «Guten Morgen. Wie geht es Ihnen?», meaning good morning, how are you. This exchange shows a polite morning greeting between two people who use formal language. The first line includes a name and a title, which is common in formal German. The second line asks how the other person is doing, using the formal word for you. Practice both lines. First, say the greeting with the name. Then answer with the question. Try to keep a calm, friendly tone. You can play both roles by listening and repeating.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Guten Morgen
Good morning
GOO-ten MOR-gen
Guten Tag
Good day
GOO-ten TAHK
Guten Abend
Good evening
GOO-ten AH-bent
Hallo
Hello
HAH-loh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Guten Morgen, Frau Müller.
Good morning, Mrs. Müller.Guten Morgen. Wie geht es Ihnen?
Good morning. How are you? (formal)Hallo, Tim! Wie geht's?
Hi, Tim! How's it going?Hallo! Gut, danke.
Hello! Good, thanks.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Choose the Right Greeting
In a formal practice scene, greet a teacher in the morning, then choose an evening greeting for a separate evening scene. Use the time-of-day words in the recordings.
Your task: Which recording fits this situation best? Listen to «Guten Morgen», «Guten Tag», «Guten Abend», and «Hallo». Choose one and say it aloud. Then say why you chose it.
Understand a Friendly Reply
You meet your friend Tim in the afternoon. You say «Hallo, Tim! Wie geht's?» to him. He answers with «Hallo! Gut, danke.».
Your task: Listen to «Hallo! Gut, danke.» again. What does Tim's answer mean in English? Say it in your own words. Then repeat «Hallo! Gut, danke.» aloud, copying the friendly tone.
Recall the Formal Exchange
Treat the first two dialogue clips as one formal scene: A greets Frau Müller, and B, Frau Müller, replies and asks A how they are. The later Tim exchange is a separate scene.
Your task: Listen to «Guten Morgen, Frau Müller.» and «Guten Morgen. Wie geht es Ihnen?». Then cover the text. Say the first line from memory. Then say the second line from memory. Check your answer by listening again.
Common questions
Can I use «Hallo» in a formal situation?
Hallo is common in casual and some neutral settings. A time-of-day greeting is a useful choice for a formal first encounter. In these recordings, compare the Ihnen question in the Frau Müller scene with the shorter Wie geht’s question in the Tim scene.
How do I know which greeting to use in the evening?
Guten Abend is an evening greeting. The exact changeover time depends on context rather than a strict clock rule. Practise that recording for this exercise’s evening scene; Hallo is not tied to a particular time of day.
Sources and further reading
- german: greetings formal informalChecked September 2026
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