Greetings In Austria: A Guide To Saying Hello

Austrian greetings differ from German greetings in many ways. There are several ways to say hello in Austrian, each for formal and informal situations. The formal greeting is Guten Tag or Grüß Gott (literally translates to 'Greet God'). Knowing is better to say Grüß Sie or Hallo. Friends greet each other by saying Grüß Sie, Hallo, Servus or for younger people simply Hi.

'Servus' is a Latin word for 'slave' and is an informal way to say hello in Austria

Servus is a Latin word for slave and is an informal way to say hello in Austria. The Latin word for slave, astonishingly enough, made its way to a rather informal way of saying hello in Austria today. Servus is also the origin of the word 'serf'. It is an ellipsis of a Latin expression, servus humillimus, domine spectabilis, meaning '[your] most humble servant, [my] noble lord'.

There are several ways to say hello in Austrian. The formal greeting is Guten Tag or Grüß Gott (literally translates to 'greet God'). Knowing is better to say Grüß Sie or Hallo. Friends greet each other by saying Grüß Sie, Hallo, Servus or for younger people simply Hi. Just as informal and frequently used among family and friends is Griaß di, which translates to hello or hello there. The religiously inspired Grüß Gott is a more traditional way of saying hello. If you happen to be up and about before 10 am, you can greet everyone you meet with a German Guten Morgen, or the shorter Morgen. You could also go the cultural extra mile and say hello in Austrian slang: Moagn.

'Griaß di' is another informal greeting, often used among family and friends

Griaß di is another informal greeting in Austria, often used among family and friends. The word translates to 'hello' or 'hello there' and is used in a similar way to 'servus', which is also an informal greeting. The Latin word for slave, 'servus' is an archaic way of saying 'your servant', which was a suitable greeting some hundred years ago. Griaß di is also the perfect greeting for fellow hikers you might meet on one of the many beautiful trails in Austria. The religiously inspired Grüß Gott is a more traditional way of saying hello, while Guten Tag is the formal greeting. If you're up and about before 10 am, you can greet everyone with a German Guten Morgen, or the shorter Morgen. You could also say hello in Austrian slang: Moagn.

'Grüß Gott' is a religiously inspired, traditional greeting

Grüß Gott is a religiously inspired, traditional greeting in Austria. The phrase literally translates to 'Greet God' or 'God bless you'. Grüß Gott is a formal greeting, and is used in the same way as Guten Tag. Other ways to say hello in Austria include Grüß Sie, Hallo, Servus, and for younger people, simply Hi.

Grüß Gott is a common and polite way of greeting someone in German-speaking regions, particularly in Bavaria and Austria. The phrase is used to show respect, acknowledge others' presence, or convey well-wishes. It reflects the cultural and religious history of the region and is often seen as a cultural identifier. The greeting was publicised in the 19th century by the Catholic clergy and has long been the most common greeting form in Southern Germany and Austria.

The pronunciation of Grüß Gott varies with the region. In Middle High German, the verb grüßen (grüezen) is used to mean 'to greet' and 'to bless', so the greeting in fact preserves the original meaning of 'God bless you'. However, even speakers in Southern Germany and Austria are only rarely aware of this and think it means 'may God greet you'. Like many other greetings, Grüß Gott can range in meaning from deeply emotional to casual or perfunctory.

'Guten Tag' is a formal greeting

Guten Tag is a formal greeting in Austria, along with Grüß Gott, which literally translates to 'Greet God'. Other formal greetings include Grüß Sie and Hallo.

Austrian greetings differ from German greetings in many ways. There are several ways to say hello in Austrian, each for formal and informal situations. For example, Servus is an informal greeting, as is Griaß di, which translates to hello or hello there. The religiously inspired Grüß Gott is a more traditional way of saying hello.

If you're up and about before 10 am, you can greet everyone you meet with Guten Morgen, or the shorter Morgen. You could also say hello in Austrian slang: Moagn.

Some guidebooks mention more old-fashioned salutations such as Gschamster servant (meaning 'your humble servant'), or Gnädiger Herr / gnädige Frau (meaning Sir / Madam), and kiss on the hand.

'Guten Morgen' is used before 10 am, and the Austrian slang equivalent is 'Moagn'

Guten Morgen is used before 10 am, and the Austrian slang equivalent is Moagn.

Austrian greetings differ from German greetings in many ways. There are several ways to say hello in the Austrian tradition, and just as many to say goodbye, each for formal and informal situations.

The formal greeting is Guten Tag or Grüß Gott (literally translates to 'greet God'). Knowing is better to say Grüß Sie or Hallo. Friends greet each other by saying Grüß Sie, Hallo, Servus or for younger people simply Hi. Servus is a Latin word for a slave. It translates to the archaic 'your servant', a suitable greeting some hundred years ago. The Latin word for slave, astonishingly enough, made its way to a rather informal way of saying hello in Austria today.

Just as informal and frequently used among family and friends is Griaß di, which translates to hello or hello there. The plural to this is Griaß enk/Griaß eich. It's also a friendly way to say hello to fellow hikers you might meet on one of the many beautiful trails in Austria. The religiously inspired Grüß Gott is a more traditional way of saying hello.

Frequently asked questions