Greetings

1. Moien

   Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon

   Usage

   The all-purpose greeting from morning to afternoon, fine for strangers and shop staff alike. In the evening Gudden Owend is also used

   Grammar Note

   n-rule: before a following word that starts with a consonant other than n d t z h the final n drops and the word is moie. At the end of a sentence or before a comma the n stays. Moien is used where German says Guten Tag

2. Merci villmools!

   Thank you very much

   Usage

   A warm thank-you; plain Merci is also perfectly normal. The reply is Gär geschitt (you are welcome)

   Grammar Note

   Thanks is Merci, not German Danke. villmools is written as one word

3. Äddi!

   Goodbye / Bye

   Usage

   The most common way to say goodbye. Bis geschwënn (see you soon) is also used

   Grammar Note

   The interjection Äddi, with a capital Ä. It corresponds to German Auf Wiedersehen / Tschüss

4. Awar!

   Goodbye

   Usage

   A farewell; also used in Awar a bis geschwënn! (goodbye and see you soon)

   Grammar Note

   Awar is also a masculine noun (goodbye); as a greeting it is said on its own with an exclamation

5. Pardon!

   Excuse me / Sorry

   Usage

   For bumping into someone, asking to pass or a light apology; it comes from French

   Grammar Note

   An interjection borrowed from French. Entschëllegt! is also used to get someone's attention

6. Gudde Moien!

   Good morning

   Usage

   A morning greeting; plain Moien also works. The n of Gudden has dropped before the M of Moien

   Grammar Note

   Gudden loses its n before the M of Moien (n-rule). Here Moien is the masculine noun for morning

7. Gudden Owend!

   Good evening

   Usage

   An evening greeting used when meeting someone, not a goodnight

   Grammar Note

   Gudden keeps its n before the vowel O (n-rule). Owend is a masculine noun

8. Wéi geet et Iech?

   How are you? (formal)

   Usage

   A polite greeting for strangers or staff; to a friend say Wéi geet et dir?

   Grammar Note

   Wéi geet et Iech? is the polite form. Polite you is the capitalised Iech

9. Et freet mech, Iech kennen ze léieren

   Nice to meet you

   Usage

   A polite line on meeting someone for the first time, often with a handshake

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words. Kennen ze léieren means to get to know; et freet mech means I am glad

10. Häerzlech wëllkomm zu Lëtzebuerg!

    Welcome to Luxembourg!

    Usage

    What a host says to a visitor. Häerzlech wëllkomm! on its own is also used

    Grammar Note

    Häerzlech wëllkomm! is a fixed greeting. Before the country name the preposition is zu

11. Ech schwätze kee Lëtzebuergesch

    I can't speak Luxembourgish

    Usage

    To say you do not speak Luxembourgish; people often switch to English, French or German

    Grammar Note

    Both schwätzen and keen lose their n before a consonant (n-rule). The language name takes no article

12. Ech kommen erëm

    I'll come again

    Usage

    Tells a shop or host that you will return; erëm means again

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words. Kommen keeps its n before the vowel of erëm (n-rule). The present tense expresses the future

13. Ech hat eng flott Zäit

    I had a great time

    Usage

    Said at the end of a trip or visit as thanks to the people you met

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words. The past form hat of hunn is still used in speech. The adjective flott takes no ending before the feminine Zäit

14. Merci a bis geschwënn!

    Thanks, see you soon

    Usage

    A set phrase for thanking someone as you part

    Grammar Note

    An loses its n before b and becomes a. Geschwënn means soon

15. Ech ginn dann

    I'm heading out

    Usage

    A casual way to say you are about to leave

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words. The 1st person of goen is ginn, the same form as ginn meaning give

16. Ech sinn erëm do

    I'm back

    Usage

    Said when you return after being away

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words. Sinn keeps its n before the vowel of erëm (n-rule)

17. Entschëllegt, ech muss elo leider goen

    Excuse me, I'm afraid I have to go now

    Usage

    A polite way to end a conversation

    Grammar Note

    Composed from dictionary-verified words. After the modal muss the verb goen stands at the end as an infinitive and keeps its n at the end of the sentence

18. Gär geschitt

    You're welcome

    Usage

    The reply to Merci

    Grammar Note

    The reply to thanks is Gär geschitt, not wannechgelift

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