Guten Morgen is the standard, full greeting - the one to use with strangers or in a first meeting. Morgen, the same word without guten, is what colleagues and friends actually say to each other once the formality drops.
Ways to say it
Guten Morgen! Hast du gut geschlafen?
Good morning! Did you sleep well?
Morgen! Kaffee ist fertig.
Morning! Coffee's ready.
Einen schönen guten Morgen euch allen!
A very good morning to you all!
Why Morgen Alone Still Gets Capitalized
Morgen keeps its capital M even shortened to a single word, because Morgen is a noun in German (literally 'morning'), and German nouns are always capitalized regardless of where they sit in a sentence or how short the phrase gets.
When to Switch from Guten Morgen to Morgen
If a colleague walks in and calls out 'Morgen!' to the room, answering with the same short form is natural, not rude - it matches their register. Save the full Guten Morgen for someone you're meeting for the first time, or a situation that still calls for a bit of distance.
How to Reply to Guten Morgen
Guten Morgen gets Guten Morgen back, and Morgen gets Morgen back - the same mirroring pattern as most German greetings. There's no separate reply phrase; matching what was said to you is the whole rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ways are there to say 'Good Morning' in German?+
3 common ways, each suited to a different situation - see the table above for exactly when to use each one.
Which one should I default to if I'm not sure?+
Guten Morgen is the safest, most neutral choice - shorten it to Morgen once the other person does, or once you know them well.
Why does Morgen mean both 'morning' and 'tomorrow'?+
They're the same word used two ways - der Morgen (the morning, capitalized, a noun) versus morgen (tomorrow, lowercase, an adverb). Context and capitalization tell them apart.
How do I practice these three greetings?+
Select the phrases you want, then use the bar at the bottom to start Flashcards, Multiple Choice, or a Final Test.
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Practice tips
- ✓Tap play to hear each phrase before you try saying it yourself.
- ✓Notice which options are formal and which are informal before you use them.
- ✓Practice the example sentence, not just the phrase on its own — that's how it's actually used.