A firm handshake with direct eye contact is the standard greeting in Germany, especially in formal or first-time encounters, and it is common to say "
Guten Tag" or "
Hallo" before moving on to business or conversation. Among friends and family, people may use a brief hug or cheek kiss in some regions, but Germans generally keep greetings polite, concise, and not overly effusive unless they know each other well.