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tiki

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Oct 11, 2012, 1:14:39 PM10/11/12
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Hello,

when I was in Austria, some people told me "Mahlzeit!" before I started
to eat. What should one reply to that?

Is the reply different
a) when I'm sitting at the table, and waitress (standing) says it; and
b) if there's someone else sitting at my table, and we're both starting
to eat at the same time, and then the person opposite says "Mahlzeit".

What do I reply?

Vielen Dank!

Joachim Pense

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Oct 11, 2012, 2:36:18 PM10/11/12
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Am 11.10.2012 19:14, schrieb tiki:
> Hello,
>
> when I was in Austria, some people told me "Mahlzeit!" before I started
> to eat. What should one reply to that?
>

Reply with "Mahlzeit"; also "Guten Appetit" would work.

> Is the reply different
> a) when I'm sitting at the table, and waitress (standing) says it; and
> b) if there's someone else sitting at my table, and we're both starting
> to eat at the same time, and then the person opposite says "Mahlzeit".
>
> What do I reply?
>

"Mahlzeit" is used around lunchtime either as a normal greeting (without
direct relation to the lunch) or as sort of an opening greeting to start
the lunch. Everyone will answer "Mahlzeit", too.

There are many people who despise the "Mahlzeit" greeting, because it is
connected with old-fashioned office-like work-environments. Those people
prefer "guten Appetit".

Joachim

ed wolf

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Oct 11, 2012, 3:12:41 PM10/11/12
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Am Donnerstag, 11. Oktober 2012 19:30:51 UTC+2 schrieb tiki:
> Hello,
>
>
>
> when I was in Austria, some people told me "Mahlzeit!" before I started
>
> to eat. What should one reply to that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PAaqr9ZoZw

tiki

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Oct 11, 2012, 3:02:34 PM10/11/12
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On 11.10.2012 20:36, Joachim Pense wrote:

> "Mahlzeit" is used around lunchtime either as a normal greeting (without
> direct relation to the lunch) or as sort of an opening greeting to start
> the lunch. Everyone will answer "Mahlzeit", too.

Thank you, Joachim!
So just to make sure: if I'm in a restaurant, and a waitress brings me
my meal and says "Mahlzeit" before going away, do I also reply with
"Mahlzeit"?

> There are many people who despise the "Mahlzeit" greeting, because it is
> connected with old-fashioned office-like work-environments. Those people
> prefer "guten Appetit".

I really appreciate these cultural Bemerkungen, which can't be found in
dictionaries. Thank you for this!


ed wolf

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Oct 11, 2012, 4:14:52 PM10/11/12
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Am Donnerstag, 11. Oktober 2012 21:30:08 UTC+2 schrieb tiki:
> On 11.10.2012 20:36, Joachim Pense wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Mahlzeit" is used around lunchtime either as a normal greeting (without
> > direct relation to the lunch) or as sort of an opening greeting to start
> > the lunch. Everyone will answer "Mahlzeit", too.

>
> Thank you, Joachim!
>
> So just to make sure: if I'm in a restaurant, and a waitress brings me
> my meal and says "Mahlzeit" before going away, do I also reply with
> "Mahlzeit"?

Yes but:
The waitress will not say mahlzeit, not here in Berlin. She will say "guten Appetit". Mahlzeit is for the grasy spoon type attendant only. Basically, Mahlzeit is for buddies, workmates, equals. In Berlin in a working class environment mahlzeit can be a greeting between all that recognise each other as working class, and between 10am and 2pm. Or, if you are 5 minutes late in the morning, you may hear "mahlzeit" at 7:05 am
It is used differently at the table meaning guten appetit, and as a greeting like howdy. When some bloke with a tie says mahlzeit to me when I am in overalls, he might come across as condescending or slimy.
schönen abend noch
ed wolf

Joachim Pense

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Oct 11, 2012, 4:17:35 PM10/11/12
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Am 11.10.2012 21:02, schrieb tiki:
> On 11.10.2012 20:36, Joachim Pense wrote:
>
>> "Mahlzeit" is used around lunchtime either as a normal greeting (without
>> direct relation to the lunch) or as sort of an opening greeting to start
>> the lunch. Everyone will answer "Mahlzeit", too.
>
> Thank you, Joachim!
> So just to make sure: if I'm in a restaurant, and a waitress brings me
> my meal and says "Mahlzeit" before going away, do I also reply with
> "Mahlzeit"?
>

In case of a waitress, I would rather say "Danke" (as the situation is
sort of asymmetrical).

Joachim

GFH

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Oct 24, 2012, 10:35:07 AM10/24/12
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Do not forget that "bitte" works well in almost every situation where a polite, meaningless reply seems appropriate. One seldom goes wrong saying, "Bitte." My mother said she was able to vacation in Germany knowing only that one German word.

GFH
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