Help with German pronunciation
 

Can anyone give me the correct pronunciation, and the meaning, of the German phrase Gruss Gott. Thank you.

Rough translation: God be with you.

Our Austrian guide said it means God's Greeting. "Gott" is pronounced as it looks--got. Grüss is sort of like "Grewss."

Two remarks:

It spells "Grüß Gott" correctly.
If you cannot type the "ü", it is common practice to resort to "ue". The "ß" can be replaced by "ss". The "ü" makes a difference in both, pronounciation and meaning.

Literally it would translate to "Say hello to God". However, the meaning would rather be a short but formal "Hello". It is only common practice in Southern Germany. In other parts you would rather say "Hallo" or "Guten Tag" (Literally "Good Day").

No, it doesn't mean 'say hello to God'. It's an abbreviation of 'Grüß(e) (dich) Gott', a subjunctive, meaning '(May) God greet (you).' Notionally it's similar to the English 'God bless'. Used mainly by Roman Catholic people in Southern Germany and Austria, it does mean 'Hello'. Pronunciation is roughly 'Grewss got', but ü is sounded by making a lip shape for oo as in boo, but trying to say ee.

Depends where you are - in the village where my Husbands granny lives they shout Scoud! I keep saying it like that now, much to the amusement of everyone. Trottle.

>Used mainly by Roman Catholic people
Nope, by everyone!

>it does mean 'Hello'.
"Hello" would be "Hallo"
"Grüß Gott" is the equivalent word for "Guten Tag"