Basic greetings and introductions | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: A beginner practices six useful English phrases about basic greetings and introductions..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Basic greetings and introductions to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Guten Morgen zusammen.

GOO-ten MOR-ghn tsoo-ZAH-men Good morning, everyone.
B

Wie geht es dir?

vee GAYT ess deer How are you?
A

Mir geht es gut.

meer GAYT ess goot I am fine.
B

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

SHURN, dikh KEN-en-tsoo-LAIR-nen Nice to meet you.
A

Einen schönen Tag noch.

EYE-nen SHURN-en TAHK nokh Have a nice day.
B

Gern geschehen.

gairn geh-SHAY-en You are welcome.

Word by Word

Guten “Guten” means “good” in the morning greeting “Guten Morgen zusammen”. It is the form of “gut” used in this greeting. Use “Guten Morgen zusammen” to greet several people in the morning.
Morgen “Morgen” means “morning” in “Guten Morgen zusammen”. Together with “Guten”, it forms a common morning greeting. Use “Guten Morgen” when greeting someone in the morning.
zusammen “zusammen” means “together” and addresses everyone in “Guten Morgen zusammen”. Here it makes the greeting suitable for a group. Use the complete expression when greeting several people at once.
Wie “Wie” means “how” in the question “Wie geht es dir?”. It asks about the way someone is doing. Use it at the beginning of this question when asking one person how they are.
geht “geht” means “goes” in the expression “Wie geht es dir?”, which asks how someone is doing. Its meaning here comes from this expression rather than from movement. Use the pattern “Wie geht es dir?” to ask one person about their well-being.
es “es” is the “it” in “Wie geht es dir?”. It is part of the German expression used to ask how someone is doing. Keep “es” in the complete pattern “Wie geht es dir?”.
dir “dir” means “to you” when addressing one person in “Wie geht es dir?”. It identifies the person whose well-being is being asked about. Use it at the end of “Wie geht es dir?” when speaking to one person.
Mir “Mir” means “to me” in “Mir geht es gut”. It shows whose well-being is being described. Use “Mir geht es gut” to say that you are fine.
gut “gut” means “well” or “fine” in “Mir geht es gut”. It describes the speaker’s condition in this expression. Use it after “Mir geht es” to say that you are doing well.
Schön “Schön” means “nice” or “pleasant” in “Schön, dich kennenzulernen”. It expresses that meeting the other person is pleasant. Use the complete expression when meeting someone for the first time.
dich “dich” means “you” as the person being met in “Schön, dich kennenzulernen”. It refers to one person addressed directly. Use it in this expression when speaking to the person you are meeting.
kennenzulernen “kennenzulernen” means “to meet” or “to get to know” in “Schön, dich kennenzulernen”. It names the meeting as the action that is pleasant. Use the pattern “Schön, dich kennenzulernen” as a polite greeting when meeting someone.
Einen “Einen” means “a” in “Einen schönen Tag noch”. It introduces the wished-for day in this farewell expression. Keep it before “schönen Tag” when wishing someone a nice day.
schönen “schönen” means “nice” or “pleasant” and describes “Tag” in “Einen schönen Tag noch”. It helps form the good wish for the other person’s day. Use it in the complete farewell expression “Einen schönen Tag noch”.
Tag “Tag” means “day” in “Einen schönen Tag noch”. It is the time period for which the speaker gives a good wish. Use it in “Einen schönen Tag noch” when saying goodbye.
noch “noch” means “still” or “yet” in “Einen schönen Tag noch”. Here it adds the idea that the good wish applies to the time still ahead in the day. Use the complete expression as a closing wish when saying goodbye.
Gern “Gern” means “gladly” in “Gern geschehen”. It expresses a willing or pleased response. Use “Gern geschehen” after someone thanks you to say “You are welcome”.
geschehen “geschehen” means “happened” or “occurred”, but in “Gern geschehen” it completes the conventional reply meaning “You are welcome”. It is used as part of the whole polite expression rather than as a separate response. Use “Gern geschehen” when responding to thanks.

Grammar Points

Wie geht es dir? / Mir geht es gut.

Wie geht es dir? – Mir geht es gut.

vee GAYT ess deer — meer GAYT ess goot

How are you? – I am fine.

German uses dative pronouns: dir means “to you” and mir means “to me” in this expression.

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

SHURN, dikh KEN-en-tsoo-LAIR-nen

Nice to meet you.

After schön, German uses dich (“you” in the accusative) before the infinitive kennenzulernen.

German Vocabulary

dich pron
dikh you

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

dir pron
deer you

Wie geht es dir?

gehen verb
GAY-en to go; to be doing geht

Wie geht es dir?

gut adj
goot well; fine

Mir geht es gut.

Guten Morgen phrase
GOO-ten MOR-ghn Good morning

Guten Morgen zusammen.

kennenzulernen verb
KEN-en-tsoo-LAIR-nen to meet; to get to know

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

Mir geht es gut. phrase
meer GAYT ess goot I am fine.

Mir geht es gut.

Morgen noun
MOR-ghn morning

Guten Morgen zusammen.

schön adj
SHURN nice; pleasant

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

Schön, dich kennenzulernen. phrase
SHURN, dikh KEN-en-tsoo-LAIR-nen Nice to meet you.

Schön, dich kennenzulernen.

Wie geht es dir? phrase
vee GAYT ess deer How are you?

Wie geht es dir?

zusammen adv
tsoo-ZAH-men together

Guten Morgen zusammen.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Good morning, everyone.

Show AnswerGuten Morgen zusammen.

How are you?

Show AnswerWie geht es dir?

I am fine.

Show AnswerMir geht es gut.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to go; to be doing

Show Answergeht

together

Show Answerzusammen

morning

Show AnswerMorgen

you

Show Answerdich