Welcome Back! Time to Say Hello
In Level 1 you got your mouth around the tricky German sounds: the soft ch, the rolled-back r, the umlauts, and the ei and ie pair. Now we're going to put them to work.
This level is all about the little words that open every door. Get a greeting, a bitte and a danke right and people warm to you straight away. Even if the rest of your German is shaky.
Ready? Let's go.
Greetings Through the Day
German greetings follow the clock, a bit like English "good morning" and "good evening". There's one big difference, though. Germans really use them, all day long, with everyone.
First thing in the day, you say Guten Morgen (GOO-ten MOR-gen). That works until about 10 or 11 in the morning.
After that you switch to Guten Tag (GOO-ten TAHK). It means "good day", and it's your all-purpose daytime hello, used until about 6 in the evening. If you only learn one greeting, make it this one.
From around 6 p.m. it's Guten Abend (GOO-ten AH-bent). Notice that the d at the end sounds like a t.
So what about Gute Nacht (GOO-tuh NAKHT)? Here's a classic trap. It's not a greeting at all. You only say it when you're leaving late at night or heading off to bed. Remember that soft ch from Level 1? It's right there in Nacht, like the end of Scottish "loch".
What if you walk into a hotel at 10 p.m.? You still say Guten Abend. Then Gute Nacht as you head up to your room.
You'll also hear plain Hallo (HAH-loh). It's friendly and very common, but Guten Tag is the safer choice with strangers.
Travelling south? In Bavaria and Austria you'll often hear Grüß Gott (grooss GOT) as the everyday hello, at any time of day. In German-speaking Switzerland it's Grüezi (GRUE-ett-see). Just return the greeting you're given and you'll fit right in.
Saying Goodbye
The standard polite goodbye is Auf Wiedersehen (owf VEE-der-zay-en). Literally, "until we see each other again". That ie is the long "ee" sound you practised.
Now, a fun one. On the phone you can't see anyone, can you? So Germans say Auf Wiederhören (owf VEE-der-hur-en), "until we hear each other again". It's the polite way to end a call, say when you ring a hotel. Round your lips for that ö.
And then there's Tschüss (CHOOSS, with your lips rounded for the ü). It's the casual "bye!" Friends use it, but you'll hear it from lots of shop staff too. If someone says Tschüss to you, it's fine to say it back.
The Magic Words
Let's start with bitte (BIT-tuh). Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of German. It means "please", but it's also "you're welcome", "here you go", and even "can I help you?" when a shop assistant says Bitte? with a rising tone.
If you didn't catch something, say Wie bitte? (vee BIT-tuh). It's the polite "Pardon?" You'll use it a lot, and that's completely fine.
Next up is danke (DAHN-kuh), "thanks". Want to sound a little warmer? Say Danke schön (DAHN-kuh shurn), "thank you very much".
So how do you reply when someone thanks you? Just say Bitte, or Bitte schön. For a kind favour you can also say Gern geschehen (gairn guh-SHAY-en), "my pleasure".
Sorry, or Excuse Me?
This is where English speakers often slip. German has two different "sorry" words.
Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-dee-goong) is for small things. You use it to get someone's attention before you ask a question, to squeeze past on a busy tram, or when you bump into someone. It covers both "excuse me" and a light "sorry".
Es tut mir leid (ess TOOT meer LITE) is deeper. It means "I'm sorry" in the sense of real regret or sympathy. You'd say it if you broke something, or if someone tells you sad news. Hear the ei in leid? It rhymes with English "light".
Here's a quick test. You need to ask a stranger something. Which word do you use? Entschuldigung, of course. Es tut mir leid would sound like you're apologising for something serious!
Putting It Together: At the Bakery
Let's listen in on you at a German bakery, around midday.
You: Guten Tag! Assistant: Guten Tag! Bitte? You: Das hier, bitte. (pointing: "This one here, please.") Assistant: Bitte schön. You: Danke schön! Assistant: Bitte! Auf Wiedersehen! You: Auf Wiedersehen!
See how every turn has a polite word in it? That's normal German rhythm. Saying hello when you walk into a small shop really matters, by the way. Walking in silently can come across as cold.
And with a stranger on a train:
You: Entschuldigung, ist hier frei? ("Excuse me, is this seat free?") Stranger: Ja, bitte. You: Danke!
Your Turn: Role-Play
Picture this. It's 7:30 in the evening and you walk into a small shop. Say your greeting out loud. Point at something and ask for it politely. Thank the assistant, then say goodbye.
Did you say Guten Abend, then Das hier, bitte, Danke schön and Auf Wiedersehen? Brilliant. You've just had your first complete German exchange!
Key Takeaways
- Guten Morgen until about 10 or 11 a.m., Guten Tag in the daytime, Guten Abend from about 6 p.m.
- Gute Nacht is only for leaving late or going to bed. It's never a greeting.
- Auf Wiedersehen in person, Auf Wiederhören on the phone, Tschüss for a casual bye.
- Bitte means please, you're welcome and here you go. Wie bitte? means "Pardon?"
- Entschuldigung is for getting attention and small slips. Es tut mir leid is for real regret or sympathy.
- Always greet people when you walk into a small shop.