Gruß

Gruß is a German noun that denotes a greeting or salutation. It refers to the act of greeting someone or to the expression of goodwill directed at another person. The singular form is Gruß, and the pluralGrüße is often used to refer to multiple greetings or to a message that conveys several friendly regards.

In everyday language, Gruß can appear in phrases such as einen freundlichen Gruß or einen herzlichen Gruß. The plural Grüße is common when sending or wishing someone well, as in Viele Grüße, Herzliche Grüße, or Liebe Grüße. In writing, Gruß is often used in compound closings or as part of a farewell formula, for example Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Mit besten Grüßen, or Mit herzlichen Grüßen. The choice of formula indicates the level of formality, with Mit freundlichen Grüßen serving as a standard formal closing and Grüße variants used in more informal contexts.

Grüß Gott is a regional greeting found in southern Germany and Austria, literally meaning “greet God,” and is unrelated to letter closings but illustrate the broader use of greetings built from gr- words in German.

Orthography varies by region. In Germany and Austria, the standard modern spelling is Gruß (with ß). In Switzerland, Gruss (with ss) is commonly used due to local orthographic conventions. The word Gruß and its derivatives are widely employed across German-speaking cultures to convey politeness and warmth in both spoken and written communication.