German · A2 (Elementary)
Greetings in German: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful German words for greetings are Guten Tag (Good day / Hello (formal)), Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye (formal)) and Entschuldigung (Excuse me). The full German greetings phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential German vocabulary for greetings, with example sentences and English translations. This is A2 (Elementary) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning German to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's German curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key greetings vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Guten Tag | Good day / Hello (formal) |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye (formal) |
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me |
| Herzlich willkommen | Welcome |
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? (formal) |
| Freut mich | Nice to meet you |
| Guten Abend | Good evening |
| Bis bald | See you soon |
| Angenehm | Pleased to meet you |
| Wir sehen uns | See you later |
Example sentences
Guten Tag, Herr Müller, schön Sie zu sehen.
Good day, Mr Müller, nice to see you.
Auf Wiedersehen, bis nächste Woche!
Goodbye, until next week!
Entschuldigung, können Sie mir helfen?
Excuse me, can you help me?
Herzlich willkommen in Deutschland!
Welcome to Germany!
Wie geht es Ihnen? Danke, gut.
How are you? Thank you, fine.
Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
Nice to meet you.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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