In German
Guten Morgen
Meaning: good morning
Formal or informal? “Guten Morgen” works until about late morning. After that, use “Guten Tag”, and “Guten Abend” from the evening.
Example sentences
GutenMorgen,Anna!
Good morning, Anna!
GutenMorgen!Wiehastdugeschlafen?
Good morning! How did you sleep?
IchwünscheIhneneinengutenMorgen.
I wish you a good morning.
Grammar note
“Morgen” is masculine (der Morgen). In the greeting, “guten” takes the -en ending because the phrase stands on its own.
Common mistake
Don't use “Guten Morgen” in the afternoon. Use “Guten Tag” instead.
Quick check
Which greeting do you use in the morning?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
When does “Guten Morgen” stop being correct?
Roughly after late morning, around midday. Then switch to “Guten Tag”.
Is “Morgen” alone a greeting?
Yes, in casual speech, especially in southern Germany, people say just “Morgen!”.