Greetings In Austria: The Power Of A Warm Welcome

Austrians have a variety of greetings, depending on the time of day and the level of formality. Greeting people is important in Austrian culture, and it is considered rude not to greet people when entering and leaving shops. Austrians tend to be reserved, formal, and polite, and this is reflected in their greetings. A typical Austrian greeting is Grüss Gott, which translates to God greet you and is used in both formal and informal situations. Austrians also place importance on titles and last names, and it is considered rude to use someone's first name until invited to do so.

Greeting someone in Austrian German

Greeting Someone Before 10 a.m.

If you are greeting someone before 10 a.m., you can use the German phrase "Guten Morgen", or the shorter version, "Morgen". To go the extra cultural mile, you can say "Moagn", which is the Austrian slang version of "good morning".

Greeting Someone After 10 a.m.

For the rest of the day, you can use the phrase "Grüss Gott", which translates to "greet God". This is more commonly used than the German "Guten Tag" and "Guten Abend". In an informal context, you can also say "Hallo", "Servus", or "Grüss dich".

Formal Greetings

"Grüss Gott" is also used as a formal greeting, along with "Grüss dich". Addressing people with their appropriate titles is also important in Austrian culture. It is respectful to use "Herr" for men and "Frau" for women over the age of 18, along with their last names, until they invite you to use their first name. If the person has a professional title, such as a doctor, use "Herr" or "Frau", followed by their title and last name.

Greeting Fellow Hikers

When greeting fellow hikers on the beautiful trails in Austria, you can use the informal greeting "Griaß di", which translates to "hello" or "hello there". The plural form of this greeting is "Griaß enk/Griaß eich".

Formal vs informal greetings

Austrians have different ways of greeting people depending on the formality of the situation and the time of day. Generally, Austrian culture follows the norms of Germany, meaning Austrians are polite, formal, and reserved.

Formal Greetings

Austrians tend to be reserved, especially with people they have not formed a connection with. Formal greetings are therefore the norm. Handshakes are very common, especially when meeting someone for the first time or in business settings. Verbal formal greetings include "Guten Morgen" (good morning), "Guten Tag" (good day), or "Guten Abend" (good evening). Greeting people with their appropriate titles and last names is also important. Addressing people as "Herr" for men and "Frau" for women over 18 is respectful. If someone has a professional title, such as a doctor, use "Herr" or "Frau", their title, and then their last name.

Informal Greetings

Informally, or between family and close friends, women might greet each other with a light hug or two air kisses on the cheek. Verbal greetings in informal situations include "Hallo" (hello) or "Servus" (hi). Greeting someone with "Grüss dich" or "Grüss Gott" (God greet you), is also acceptable in both formal and informal situations.

Greeting someone in a business setting

When greeting an Austrian verbally, it is important to use a person's title and surname until invited to use their first name. Appropriate forms of address include "Herr" (Mr.) for a man and "Frau" (Mrs. or Ms.) for a woman or young girl. When addressing a professional under business or other formal circumstances, it is appropriate to use the proper honorific plus the professional designation. In more casual situations where the last name is unknown, the titles "Herr" and "Frau" can be used alone.

Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual, but it is recommended to have one side of your card translated into German to demonstrate attention to detail. Include any advanced academic degrees or honours on your business card, and if your company has been in business for a long time, include the founding date to convey stability.

Austrians are generally conservative, formal, and reserved in public. They value punctuality, and it is considered extremely rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute. In a business setting, it is best to avoid intrusive questions about personal matters, as Austrians tend to be quite private.

Greeting a friend or family member

When greeting a friend or family member, Austrians often use the informal "Griaß di", which translates to "hello" or "hello there". The plural form of this greeting is "Griaß enk/Griaß eich", and it can also be used as a friendly greeting for fellow hikers on one of Austria's many trails. Another informal greeting is "Servus", which comes from the Latin word for "slave". This greeting is also used for saying goodbye.

If you are greeting a friend or family member in the morning, before 10 am, you can use "Morgen", the shortened form of "Guten Morgen" (good morning).

When greeting a friend or family member in Austria, women might lightly hug or offer two light air kisses on the cheek. You can also add verbal greetings like "Hallo" (hello) or "Servus" (hi).

Greeting someone in a social setting

If you are greeting someone in the morning, before 10 am, you can use "Guten Morgen" or "Morgen". "Moagn" is an Austrian slang version of this greeting. "Guten Tag" is used for good day or good afternoon, and "Guten Abend" means good evening. These greetings are formal and can be used in most social settings. "Servus", which comes from the Latin for slave, is also used informally to mean hello or goodbye. "Hallo" is another informal greeting meaning hello.

A typical Austrian greeting is "Grüss Gott", which translates as "God greet you" or "May God greet you". This is used in both formal and informal situations. "Grüß dich" is the more casual version of this, which is very commonly used. "Grüss dich" translates as "greetings to you".

When greeting someone in Austria, it is important to address them with their appropriate title and last name, such as "Herr" for men and "Frau" for women. If they have a professional title, such as a doctor, this should also be used. First names are generally only used with friends, family, and people you know well.

Handshakes are common when greeting someone for the first time or in a business setting. It is also customary to make eye contact during the greeting. Women may also greet each other with a light hug or two kisses on the cheek.

Frequently asked questions