Guten Morgen (GOO-ten MOR-gen) is how you say good morning in German. It works in any situation, formal or casual. Friends and colleagues often shorten it to Morgen!, and in northern Germany you will also hear Moin. By around midday, most people switch to Guten Tag (good day).
- Standard
- Guten Morgen
- Casual
- Morgen!
- Northern Germany
- Moin
- Austria and Bavaria
- Grüß Gott (hello, any time of day)
- Level
- A1
Is Guten Morgen formal or informal?
Both. Guten Morgen is fine with your boss, a shop assistant or your flatmate, so it is the one to learn first. The shorter and regional versions are friendlier but more casual.
| German | Formality | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Guten Morgen | Neutral | Anyone, anywhere, until late morning |
| Morgen! | Casual | Colleagues, neighbours, family |
| Guten Morgen zusammen | Neutral | A group: an office, a class, a team call |
| Einen schönen guten Morgen! | Warm | An extra-cheerful good morning |
| Moin | Casual | Northern Germany, at any time of day |
| Guten Tag | Neutral to formal | From about midday onwards |
You can add the person's name, as Herr Krause does when he rings the doorbell in chapter 1 of a Contos A1 story:
Guten Morgen, Lena! Ich habe einen Brief für Jonas.Why is it guten and not gut?
Guten Morgen is short for Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Morgen (I wish you a good morning). Morgen is a masculine noun, and as the object of wünschen it takes the accusative, so the adjective ends in -en. The same pattern gives Guten Tag and Guten Abend. Gute Nacht ends in -e because Nacht is feminine.
Watch the capital letter too. Morgen with a capital is the noun "morning"; morgen in lower case means "tomorrow".
Guten Morgen, Frau Weber!
Good morning, Mrs Weber!
Ich habe heute Morgen keine Zeit.
I don't have time this morning.
Wir sehen uns morgen früh.
See you tomorrow morning.
morgen = tomorrow, früh = early, so tomorrow morning.
How do you say good morning in Austria and Switzerland?
Guten Morgen is understood and used in every German-speaking country. Austria, Switzerland and southern Germany also have their own all-day greetings, which you will hear in the morning as often as the standard phrase.
- Grüß Gott — a polite hello in Austria and Bavaria, used at any time of day.
- Servus — an informal hi (and bye) in Austria and Bavaria, between friends and people you know.
- Grüezi — the polite hello in German-speaking Switzerland; to a group, Grüezi mitenand.
- Moin — northern Germany, around Hamburg and the coast. It looks like Morgen but is used all day, even in the evening.
How do you reply to Guten Morgen?
Say it back: Guten Morgen! or just Morgen! If you want to keep talking, a question or a remark about the weather is the classic next step. In this Contos story, a shy dog walker rehearses exactly that on her way through the park:
Sie übt leise: "Guten Morgen. Schönes Wetter, oder?"Morgen! Wie geht's?
Morning! How are you?
Casual.
Guten Morgen! Wie geht es Ihnen?
Good morning! How are you?
Formal (Sie).
Guten Morgen! Gut geschlafen?
Good morning! Did you sleep well?
At home, to family or a flatmate.
Read short German stories at A1 about flatshares, park benches and market feuds, and tap any word for its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Guten Morgen?
Say "GOO-ten MOR-gen", with the stress on the first syllable of each word. In everyday speech the -en endings are light, closer to "GOO-tn MOR-gn", and the r in Morgen is soft.
Until what time can you say Guten Morgen?
There is no fixed rule. Most people use it until late morning and switch to Guten Tag around midday. If you arrive at the office at 11, Guten Morgen is still fine.
What does Moin mean?
Moin is an informal greeting from northern Germany. Despite looking like Morgen, it is used at any time of day. You will sometimes hear it doubled: Moin moin.
Is just saying Morgen rude?
No. Morgen! is friendly and very common between colleagues and neighbours. With a stranger or in a formal setting, the full Guten Morgen sounds more polite.
What is the difference between Morgen and morgen?
Capitalised, Morgen is the noun "morning": Guten Morgen, heute Morgen (this morning). In lower case, morgen is the adverb "tomorrow": bis morgen (see you tomorrow).