grüßen

Grüßen is a transitive German verb meaning to greet someone or to convey a greeting. It is used when acknowledging another person, either in person or by referring to them in speech or writing. The basic construction is jemanden grüßen (to greet someone).

Conjugation and forms are regular. In the present tense: ich grüße, du grüßt, er/sie/es grüßt, wir grüßen, ihr grüßt, sie grüßen. The simple past (preterite) is ich grüßte, du grüßtest, er grüßte, wir grüßten, ihr grüßtet, sie grüßten. The perfect tense is formed with haben: ich habe gegrüßt. The past participle is gegrüßt. Imperatives include Grüß dich! (informal singular), Grüßt euch! (informal plural), and Grüßen Sie! (formal).

Usage and context include everyday conversations, formal address, and written communication. In spoken German, du and ihr are used for informal contacts, while Sie is used in formal situations. Common phrases involve greetings such as Hallo or Guten Tag, as well as the act of greeting itself: ich grüße Sie, ich grüße dich. In written form, the closing Viele Grüße or Liebe Grüße expresses a friendly or polite sign-off. The related noun Gruß means a greeting or salutation; begrüßen means to welcome or to greet someone’s arrival.

Etymology and related forms: grüßen originates in the Germanic language family and is cognate with Dutch groeten and English greet, reflecting a shared root for salutation across Germanic languages. The noun Gruß is derived from the same stem. The exact early forms are ancient, but the current verb and its derivatives are well established in modern German.

See also: Begrüßen, Gruß.