interjection
hello, hi
A1
'hallo' is an informal German greeting meaning 'hello' or 'hi'. Used in spoken and written contexts to attract attention or start conversations. Not reflexive or requiring an auxiliary. Register: friendly, informal; acceptable in telephone greetings and casual messages. No declension; it's an interjection, often lowercase in running text.
Examples
Er sagte kurz 'hallo' und ging weiter.
He said 'hi' briefly and kept walking.
Der Verkäufer rief 'hallo', als der Kunde hereinkam, weil er ihn persönlich begrüßen wollte.
The salesperson shouted 'hello' as the customer came in because he wanted to greet him personally.
Hallo! Schön dich zu sehen.
Hello! Nice to see you.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine waving and saying 'hallo' at a friend.
Sounds exactly like English 'hello'.
Notes
Common informal greeting used in spoken and written German.