Correct form of greeting
Sep 24, 2010 | 2:13 pm
#1
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Correct form of greeting
Can someone kindly advise me whether i should say "Guten Tag" or "Gruss Gott" when greeting someone formally in the Black Forest region. In Bayern i have always used the latter and as a teenager, the former in The Black Forest.
In addition, i am seeing an old school friend for the 1st time in 14 years. Do i use "du" or "sie" as a form of address now that we are both in our 40's?
In addition, i am seeing an old school friend for the 1st time in 14 years. Do i use "du" or "sie" as a form of address now that we are both in our 40's?
Sep 24, 2010 | 2:42 pm
#2
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Can someone kindly advise me whether i should say "Guten Tag" or "Gruss Gott" when greeting someone formally in the Black Forest region. In Bayern i have always used the latter and as a teenager, the former in The Black Forest.
In addition, i am seeing an old school friend for the 1st time in 14 years. Do i use "du" or "sie" as a form of address now that we are both in our 40's?
In addition, i am seeing an old school friend for the 1st time in 14 years. Do i use "du" or "sie" as a form of address now that we are both in our 40's?
When I first began to work with him he ALWAYS signed corrrespondence and e-mails "Herr Dr. Schmidt". A few years ago he switched to "Gunther" one day, and never changed back, so I took the cue and started to address him as "Gunther". I thought it was because of some subtle change in our relationship.
I was VERY surprised when visiting him at his office to discover that the staff was ALSO now calling him "Gunther", when he had always been addressed much more formally in the past.
I asked, and he sort of shrugged and said "times change."
Sep 24, 2010 | 3:50 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Schwetzingen (Heidelberg), Germany
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Just stick to " Guten Tag" and youll be fine everywhere in Germany !
(even in Bavaria - where Gruss Gott basically is the "norm")
In the Black Forest region Gruss Gott is common in the southern part but Guten Tag is considered as equal everywhere!
So, its always correct to say Guten Tag !
You may not be able to recognize which phrase is the common one in the town youre in (unless you get into a shop and the staff greets you with their local phrase)
Even for me as a native German "Guten Tag" is the norm !!!
(even in Bavaria - where Gruss Gott basically is the "norm")
In the Black Forest region Gruss Gott is common in the southern part but Guten Tag is considered as equal everywhere!
So, its always correct to say Guten Tag !
You may not be able to recognize which phrase is the common one in the town youre in (unless you get into a shop and the staff greets you with their local phrase)
Even for me as a native German "Guten Tag" is the norm !!!
Last edited by MHG; Sep 24, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Sep 24, 2010 | 3:56 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
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In fact one could almost say that the rule is "once du - always du"... with one notable exception, which is the non-reciprocal "du" from an adult to a child.
Sep 25, 2010 | 2:59 am
#8
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Sep 25, 2010 | 3:11 am
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Sep 25, 2010 | 9:41 am
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Sep 27, 2010 | 7:57 am
#13
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Just stick to " Guten Tag" and youll be fine everywhere in Germany !
(even in Bavaria - where Gruss Gott basically is the "norm")
(even in Bavaria - where Gruss Gott basically is the "norm")
I understood you wanted to be polite so "Howdy" certainly not on the agenda and no native German speaker would use it.
Oct 4, 2010 | 4:39 pm
#15
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