Parting ways can be hard, but every “hello” inevitably brings a “goodbye.” To avoid awkwardly ending the conversation in a different language, it’s important to learn how to properly say bye.
Just like in English, you’ll want to tailor your goodbye for different situations. While “peace out” would be inappropriate to say to your new client, saying “farewell” to your best friend could feel unnatural.
Here are over 50 different ways to say goodbye formally and informally in languages around the world.
Goodbye in different languages
1. Arabic
- مع السلامة (Ma’a salama) is the most common and versatile way of saying goodbye, which directly translates to “with peace.”
- يلا باي (Yalla bye) is an informal salutation that is used with friends. It’s adapted from English’s “bye.”
- سلام (Salaam) can be used casually for both “hi” and “bye” in Arabic.
Arabic is considered one of the hardest languages to learn, but you already know how to say goodbye in three different ways!
2. Chinese (Mandarin)
- 再见 (Zài jiàn) is a common way to say goodbye in Chinese that literally translates to “see again.”
- 拜拜 (Bai bai) is a more casual way to say bye. Sounds familiar? It’s a phonetic translation of English’s “bye-bye.”
With 1.1 billion speakers, Mandarin Chinese is the language with the most native speakers.
3. Dutch
- Tot ziens is the formal expression of goodbye that literally translates to “until see.”
- Dag is a common greeting that can be used to say both “hi” and “bye.” It literally translates to “day.”
- Doei is another casual way of saying bye in Dutch.
Dutch grammar is incredibly similar to English, making it an easy language to pick up for English speakers.
4. Farsi (Persian)
- خداحافظ (Khoda hafez) is the most common way to say goodbye. It directly translates to “may God protect you.”
- فعلا (Felan) is an informal way to say “bye” to friends.
5. French
- Au revoir is the most common way to say goodbye in French.
- Salut is a casual and versatile greeting that can mean both “hi” and “bye” in French.
- À bientôt translates to “see you soon” and is used casually.
Learn more basic French words in our French essentials guide.
6. German
- Auf wiedersehen is the formal expression of goodbye in German.
- Tschüss can be used to say bye casually.
- Tschau is another informal greeting in German. It comes from the Italian word ciao.
Plus, here are 10 ways to say hello in German.
7. Greek
- Γεια (Ya) is the most common and versatile greeting that can be used for both “hi” and “bye” in Greek.
- Αντίο (Adio) is a more traditional and formal way to say goodbye.
- Τα λέμε (Ta leme) means “we’ll talk later” and is used as an informal expression.
8. Hebrew
- שלום שלום (Shalom shalom) is a formal farewell that directly translates to “peace, peace.”
- להתראות (Lehitra’ot) is a casual expression that means “see you later.”
9. Hindi
- नमस्ते (Namaste) is the most common and versatile greeting in Hindi.
- जल्दी मिलेंगे (Jaldi milenge) means “see you soon” and is used informally.
As the official language of India, Hindi is one of Asia’s most widely spoken languages.
10. Irish
- Slán leat is a formal farewell that translates to “health to you.”
- Slán is a shortened form of slán leat that is used casually.
11. Italian
- Arrivederci is the most common way to say goodbye.
- Ciao can be used casually for both “hi” and “bye” in Italian. It’s also used internationally and pronounced the same around the world, but some countries have adapted their own spelling of it.
Go beyond ciao and discover more ways to say hello in Italian!
12. Japanese
- さようなら (Sayōnara) is a polite farewell that directly translates to “if it be thus.”
- じゃあね (Jāa ne) can be used casually as a greeting with friends.
Dive deeper into Japanese conversational phrases.
13. Korean
- 안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo) is a way to say goodbye formally in Korean. Use this expression when the other person is leaving and you’re staying.
- 안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi kyeseyo) is a formal goodbye that’s used when you’re leaving.
- 안녕 (Annyeong) can be used for both “hi” and “bye” as an informal greeting.
14. Latin
- Vale directly translates to “be well” and is the most common way to say goodbye in Latin.
- In proximum is a way to say “see you soon.”
Did you know that the Romance languages all share roots in Latin?
15. Polish
- Do widzenia is a formal farewell that literally translates to “until seeing.”
- Cześć is a casual greeting used with friends that means both “hi” and “bye.”
Learn more greetings in Polish.
16. Portuguese (Brazilian)
- Adeus is a formal salutation that directly translates to “may you go with God’s blessing.”
- Tchau is a casual way to say bye to close friends. It’s adapted from the Italian word ciao.
After you master your greetings, learn how to book a room or order food in Brazilian Portuguese.
17. Russian
- до свидания (Do svidaniya) is a formal farewell in Russian, meaning “until the next time we meet.”
- Пока (Poka) is an informal way to say bye.
Check out all the different ways you can extend a hello in Russian.
18. Spanish
- Adiós is the most common and versatile way to say goodbye in Spanish.
- Hasta luego is used casually to say “see you later.”
Here are all the basic Spanish words you need to know for every conversation.
19. Swedish
- Hej då is the most common way to say goodbye in Swedish.
- Vi ses means “see you later” and is used informally.
As a member of the Germanic language family, Swedish is one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
20. Tagalog (Filipino)
- Paalam is a formal farewell used more commonly in writing than in everyday conversations.
- Hanggang sa muli is a formal salutation that means “until next time.”
- Babay can be used casually. It’s adapted from English’s “bye-bye.”
21. Turkish
- Görüşmek üzere is a formal goodbye in Turkish.
- Görüşürüz is an informal expression used with friends. It translates to “hope we can meet again.”
22. Vietnamese
- Chào is the most common expression used for both “hi” and “bye” in Vietnamese.
- Tạm biệt is a formal farewell used more commonly in writing than in everyday conversations.
Vietnamese is a tonal language with six tones—don’t forget to warm up your vocal cords!
Go beyond the basics
Ready to bid farewell? Don’t say ciao to language learning just yet! Rosetta Stone can help you learn all sorts of greetings and more in over 24 languages.
Through Rosetta Stone’s unique immersion method, you can kiss vocabulary lists and conjugation tables goodbye. Instead, you’ll pick up new words through images, context clues, and audio from native speakers. Plus, get immediate feedback to perfect your pronunciation every time.
And with lessons that take just 10 minutes, you’ll be conversation-ready in no time. Visit rosettastone.com or download the app to say hello to a new language!
0 Commentaires