interjection

hallo

hello

Ein kurzer Gruß, den man sagt, wenn man jemanden trifft oder anruft.

Definition & meaning

"Hallo" is the most common informal German greeting. It is equivalent to "hello" or "hi" in English. It is used to greet someone at any time of the day, regardless of the person's status or gender, though it is generally considered informal or semi-formal. In some contexts, it can also be used to get someone's attention.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, "hallo" is an interjection. It does not change its form.

Etymologically, it is related to the Middle High German "halâ" or "holâ", which were calls used to summon a ferryman or to get someone's attention. It evolved into the modern greeting used today. It is widely considered a loan translation or adaptation influenced by the English "hello" or the French "allô", which gained popularity in German-speaking regions in the 19th and 20th centuries.