Before nine o'clock this morning, how many different ways did you already say hello? Think of four. We say hi, morning, howya, hey... German has its own set, and some of them will sound almost familiar.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Recognise eight German greetings when you hear them
- Match each greeting to what it means in English
- Greet a partner in German with a time-of-day hello or a friendly extra
Listen to each greeting, then say it back together with the class. First we will meet the time-of-day set, then a few friendly extras. Listen for the soft oo in Guten and the little ö sound in Hallöchen.
Watch the board. Two people at a time come up to take a turn: one flips a card and says the German greeting out loud, the other hunts for its English meaning. Everyone else listens, and after every match the whole class says the German greeting together.
Open your copy. Choose four of these five hellos and write them down: Hallo, Guten Morgen, Guten Tag, Hi, Hallöchen. Beside each one, write morning or daytime. These are all hellos you could use before lunch.
Do not choose Guten Abend (evening only), Willkommen or Freut mich for this task — those two are for welcoming someone or meeting them for the first time, not for a clock time.
Time to practise with a partner. Partner A greets, Partner B answers with a different greeting, then you swap roles. Your teacher will model a morning exchange and an evening exchange first — watch, then try both with your partner.
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