A Heartwarming 'Welcome Home' In Austria: Ways To Say It

There are several ways to say 'welcome home' in Austria, depending on the formality of the situation and the time of day. 'Grüß Gott' is a traditional greeting, meaning 'May God greet you', while 'Servus' is an informal greeting, translating to 'your servant'. 'Guten Morgen' or 'Morgen' are used to greet people before 10 am, and 'Moagn' is an informal Austrian slang greeting used at this time.

Formal greetings

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 religiously inspired 'Grüß Gott' ('May God greet you') is a formal way of saying hello in Austria. 'Guten Morgen' ('Good morning') is also used, or the shorter 'Morgen'.

'Servus' is a very informal way of saying hello, translating to the archaic 'your servant'. 'Griaß di' is also informal and frequently used among family and friends. The plural of this is 'Griaß enk' or 'Griaß eich'.

'Danke' means 'thanks' and 'Bitte' means 'please'. You can also respond to 'thanks' with 'Bitte', as with 'you are welcome'. 'Auf Wiedersehen' is the formal phrase for saying goodbye. 'Tschüss' is used in both Germany and Austria, but the addition of 'baba' is only used in Austria. 'Machs gut' is an informal form of 'goodbye', meaning 'take care'.

Informal greetings

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.

'Servus' is an informal way of saying hello in Austria. The word comes from the Latin for 'slave' and translates to 'your servant'. 'Griaß di' is another informal greeting, which translates to 'hello' or 'hello there'. The plural of this is 'Griaß enk' or 'Griaß eich'. This is a friendly way to greet fellow hikers on one of the many beautiful trails in Austria.

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 'Moagn', which is Austrian slang.

'Tschüss' is used in both Germany and Austria, but the addition of 'baba' is unique to Austria. This is a customary way to say goodbye when leaving a store or cashier's counter. 'Machs gut' is another informal way of saying goodbye, which means 'take care'.

How to say 'goodbye'

There are several ways to say 'goodbye' in Austrian. The formal phrase for saying goodbye is 'Auf Wiedersehen'. 'Servus' is an informal way of saying goodbye, as well as hello. 'Tschüß' is used in both Germany and Austria, but the addition of 'baba' is used only in Austria. 'Machs gut' is another informal way of saying goodbye, meaning 'take care'.

How to say 'thank you'

There are several ways to say 'thank you' in Austrian. The most common way is to say 'danke'. This is the standard way to express gratitude in Austrian. However, there are other ways to say 'thank you' depending on the context and the relationship between the speaker and the listener.

For example, if you want to express your thanks in a more formal or polite way, you can say 'grüß Gott', which translates to 'may God greet you'. This phrase is commonly used in Austria and Bavaria and is considered a more traditional and religiously inspired greeting.

Another way to say 'thank you' in Austrian is by using the phrase 'servus'. While this word originates from the Latin word for 'slave', it has evolved to become an informal greeting in Austrian. It is often used among family and friends and can be a friendly way to greet fellow hikers on the beautiful trails in Austria.

Additionally, there are some slang terms that can be used to express gratitude in Austrian. For instance, 'machs gut' means 'take care' and can be used as an informal way to say goodbye and express thanks. 'Wie gehts' is another informal phrase that means 'how are you?' and can be used to inquire about someone's well-being while also expressing gratitude.

Lastly, it is important to note that Austrian culture places a strong emphasis on politeness and etiquette. Greeting and thanking people when entering a shop, leaving a bus, or interacting with others is considered good manners. Therefore, saying 'danke' or 'grüß Gott' when expressing gratitude is not only a way to convey appreciation but also a way to uphold the social norms and values of Austrian culture.

How to say 'you're welcome'

To say 'you're welcome' in Austrian German, you would say 'Bitte'. This word also means 'please', and is used to respond to 'thank you' in the same way as 'you're welcome' in English.

Other useful phrases to know when visiting Austria include:

• Grüß Gott ('May God greet you') – a formal greeting
• Servus – an informal greeting
• Guten Morgen (or Morgen for short) – 'good morning'
• Moagn – an informal Austrian slang version of 'good morning'
• Tschüß – 'goodbye'
• Machs gut – an informal way of saying 'goodbye'
• Wie gehts? – 'how are you?'

Frequently asked questions