How to greet people
As in all countries there are certain norms of behavior and politeness in Germany which you should observe if you do not want to put your foot in it. Students are more informal so it is advisable to take note of both behavioral codes. The standard formulas for greeting people are “Guten Morgen” (good morning) until about midday, “Guten Tag” (good afternoon) until about 5 o’clock and then “Guten Abend” (good evening). In certain parts of the country there are regional differences. In Bavaria, for example, instead of “Guten Tag” you say “Grüß Gott”. When you leave you usually say “Auf Wiedersehen” (goodbye) or “Gute Nacht” (good night) if you take your leave in the late evening. Apart from these official formulas there are numerous less formal greetings. Students usually greet each other without shaking hands saying “Hallo”, “Grüß Dich” or “Servus” (in Bavaria) and leave saying “Tschüs”, “Bis bald” (see you soon) “Adé” (in Swabia) etc.

By contrast to NZ the question “Wie geht es Ihnen?” (How are you?) is a very private question in Germany, addressed to friends and acquaintances or used in informal situations. If the person asked is keen to answer he or she will give you a detailed run-down on his or her precise state of health. If the question is considered a formality you will receive a rather curt “Danke, gut” (Fine, thank you).

If you are introduced to someone, shake hands and say “Guten Tag” or “Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen” (Pleased to meet you). If you are introduced to another student “Hallo” will usually do. If you yourself are introducing people to each other you use the formula “Darf ich vorstellen? – Herr Müller – Frau Meier” (May I introduce you? – Herr Müller – Frau Meier), upon which they greet each other. In certain situations it is a habit in Germany to greet people you meet in passing. If you are working at an institution of higher education or in a large firm you should greet all your colleagues. If you see someone you know in the street you should at least say hello in passing. In certain situations you should also greet people you do not know, for example when you get into a lift or when you meet people on the stairs of a private building or office. Greet people when you enter the waiting-room at the doctor’s, and if you should happen to come out of your house just as the dustmen are clearing the rubbish or the postman is delivering the mail they are due for a greeting, too.

Formal and Informal Address
As a rule all adults initially address each other in the formal Sie-form as Herr or Frau plus surname and possibly even title. By contrast with NZ you also use this formal mode with colleagues at work you see every day. Germans only abandon their formal attitude and use the informal Du-form with their friends, and even this is only possible after it has been formally offered. However, students usually use the Du-form all the time amongst themselves, so when you address a fellow-student feel free to say Du.

Titles
Titles are very important in Germany. If someone has a doctorate it is usual to address them as Herr Doktor Meier or Frau Doktor Müller. Professors are usually addressed as Professor plus surname. There are doctors and professors who prefer their titles not to be used; they will soon let you know if this is the case.

Punctuality
It cannot be denied that Germans place a lot of emphasis on punctuality. If you have an appointment with your professor there is one thing you should certainly not do – keep him or her waiting! This is true for all other arrangements you make. If you have made an appointment you should arrive on the dot but if you have been invited privately the “academic quarter” comes into play: das akademische Viertel, which you will come across in academic life, too, means that a lecture or seminar only begins 15 minutes after the full hour (“c.t.” = cum tempore). If you have been invited to someone’s home it is not usual to stand ringing the doorbell exactly on the minute but to arrive sometime within the academic quarter, though certainly not later.

Invitations
Germans are often rather reticent with invitations to begin with. Only good friends can just drop in on each other unannounced. When you are invited somewhere with a more official character, like to your professor’s or boss’s for example, you should take a bunch of flowers with you for the hostess and send a brief note the following week thanking them for the invitation. When you are invited to share a pan of spaghetti with other students in their “WG” you do not need to take flowers with you, but a bottle of wine or a home-made dessert will certainly be welcome. And it is quite sufficient to say thank you for the invitation when you leave.

Arrangements Are Taken Seriously
If someone tells you you should definitely come and visit him or her sometime, then you can assume it was meant seriously and that you will soon receive an invitation. If you accept the invitation you must appear at the appointed time otherwise this will have been your first and last invitation. And vice versa: if you have extended an invitation at an agreed time you must be there because your guest will certainly come. And if you simply say to someone, “Just pop in sometime” you have to be prepared for him or her to do so.

Please! Thank You! Excuse Me!
At the beginning you might be a bit confused and unsure when Germans use these various polite formulas. Indeed, it is not so easy and not particularly logical. “Bitte”, “Bitte sehr” is what you say when you give something to somebody, when you hold the door open for somebody, when you ask for something or make a request, for example: “Kann ich zahlen, bitte?” (“May I have the bill, please?”) or “Wo bitte ist der Bahnhof?” (“Where is the station, please?”). If you have done someone a favor and he or she thanks you, you then say, “Bitte, gern geschehen” (roughly: “You’re welcome” or “Don’t mention it”). If you accept something offered to you at table you answer with “Bitte”: “Möchten Sie noch etwas trinken?” (“Would you like anything else to drink?”) – “Ja, bitte” (“Yes, please”). However, if you accept other offers you usually say “Ja, danke” (also “Yes, please”), for example: “Möchten Sie mit uns fahren?” (“Would you like a lift?”) – “Ja gerne, danke” (roughly: “Yes please, thank you”). On top of this, “Danke” or “Vielen Dank” is used when someone passes something to you, gives you information, or opens a door for you. Furthermore, you also say thank you for an offer you turn down: “Möchten Sie noch etwas trinken?” (“Would you like anything else to drink?”) – “Nein, vielen Dank” (“No, thank you very much”).

If you have trodden on someone’s toe or bumped into somebody you say “Verzeihung” or “Entschuldigung” (“I’m sorry”). If you want to ask someone something in the street you introduce your question with “Verzeihung, können Sie mir sagen …” (“Excuse me, could you tell me …”). If people are standing in your way you can get through by saying “Entschuldigen Sie, bitte …” (“Excuse me, please…”). And if you have interrupted somebody or want to make a point you also say “Verzeihen Sie” or “Verzeihung, dürfte ich Sie kurz unterbrechen?” (“Excuse me, could I interrupt you a minute?”).

What to Wear
On the whole there are no strict rules about what to wear: you wear what you like, but it should be neat and clean! People working in German administrations quite often wear jeans and women can certainly wear trousers, but ripped-off buttons and stained blouses, on the other hand, will not be tolerated. Even if no one says anything to you directly, you can be sure that such matters will be noted immediately and to your disadvantage.

Students wear whatever they like, but perhaps you should consider leaving your favorite slashed jeans at home when consulting your professor.