Goodbyes don’t always have to be difficult. When you’re just learning a new language, you’ll want to know how to say goodbye in a way that ends a conversation on the best possible note.
While “peace out” would be inappropriate to say to your new client, saying “farewell” to your best friend could feel unnatural. Discover casual and more formal phrases to part ways, so you can tailor your goodbye to every situation.
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How to say ‘goodbye’ in different languages
No matter where you’re traveling or where you are in your language learning journey, knowing how to say goodbye in different languages will help you end any conversation with ease. You’ve mastered “hello” in different languages, now you need to know the most common way to say “goodbye.”
| Language | Formal “Goodbye” | Pronunciation |
| Arabic | مع السلامة (Ma’a salama) | ma-as-sa-LAAM-ah |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 再见 (Zài jiàn) | dzye-JYEN |
| Dutch | Tot ziens | tot-ZEENS |
| English | Goodbye | good-BAHY |
| Farsi (Persian) | خداحافظ (Khoda hafez) | Kho-DAH-HAH-fez |
| French | Au revoir | oh reh-VWAHR |
| German | Auf wiedersehen | owf VEE-duh-zay-en |
| Greek | Αντίο (Adio) | an-DEE-oh |
| Hebrew | שלום (Shalom) | sha-LOM |
| Hindi | नमस्ते (Namaste) | nuh-MUH-stay |
| Irish | Slán | SLAWN |
| Italian | Arrivederci | ah-ree-veh-DER-chee |
| Japanese | さようなら (Sayōnara) | sah-YOH-nah-rah |
| Korean | 안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo) (Used when you are staying and the other person is leaving) 안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi kyeseyo) (Used when you are leaving and the other person is staying) |
an-NYEONG-hee ga-SE-yo an-NYEONG-hi GYE-se-yo |
| Latin | Vale | WAH-lay |
| Polish | Do widzenia | doh vee-DZEN-yah |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Tchau | TCHOW |
| Russian | До свидания (Do svidaniya) | duh svee-DAH-nee-yeh |
| Spanish | Adiós | ah-dee-OHSS |
| Swedish | Hej då | HAY-doh |
| Tagalog | Paalam | pah-AH-lahm |
| Turkish | Hoşça kal (said by the person leaving) Güle güle (said by the person staying) |
HOSH-cha KAL GUEH-leh GUEH-leh |
| Vietnamese | Tạm biệt | TAM – bee-ET |
Casually saying ‘bye’ in different languages
There’s always more than one way to say “goodbye,” from the formal farewell to the casual “see you later” or “bye” in different languages. You’ll also find there’s often a little more nuance to the casual send-off depending on the culture.
| Language | Informal “Bye” | Pronunciation |
| Arabic | سلام (Salaam) يلا باي (Yalla bye) |
suh-LAAM Ya-LLA BAE |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 拜拜 (Bai bai) | BĀI-bāi |
| Dutch | Doei | DOO-ee |
| English | Bye | BYE |
| Farsi (Persian) | فعلا (Felan) | FEH-lan |
| French | Salut À bientôt |
sah-LOO ah-byang-TOE |
| German | Tschüss | TCHYOOOSS |
| Greek | Γεια (Ya) Τα λέμε (Ta leme) |
YAH Tah LEH-meh |
| Hebrew | להתראות (Lehitra’ot) | le-hit-ra-OT |
| Hindi | फिर मिलेंगे (Phir milenge) | PHIR mil-EN-gay |
| Irish | Slán | SLAWN |
| Italian | Ciao | CHOW |
| Japanese | じゃあね (Jā ne) | JAAH-neh |
| Korean | 안녕 (Annyeong) 잘 가 (jal ga) |
an-NYONG JAL-GA |
| Latin | In proximum | in PROK-sih-moom |
| Polish | Cześć | CHEH-shch |
| Portuguese | Até logo | ah-TEH-LOH-goo |
| Russian | Пока (Poka) | puh-KAH |
| Spanish | Hasta luego | AH-stah LWEH-goh |
| Swedish | Vi ses | vee-SESS |
| Tagalog | Babay | buh-BEY |
| Turkish | Görüşürüz | goh-roo-SHOO-rooz |
| Vietnamese | Chào nhé | CHOW NYEH |
Goodbye in English: Goodbye
When you part ways with someone or end a conversation, goodbye is the standard farewell you’ll learn in English. It works well for very formal situations, but you’ll rarely hear it in semi-formal or casual interactions where the shortened version, bye, is more common.
With friends or family, go with a more casual phrase like see you or cheers if you happen to be in the UK. Speaking to your grandma? You might even tell her to take care before you end your conversation.
Goodbye in French: Au revoir
The most common way to say “goodbye” in French is au revoir, which literally translates as “to the seeing again” and suits most situations. If in doubt, au revoir is your go-to farewell for formal and casual interactions.
Once you get to know people a little better, you can start to use more colloquial expressions like à bientôt (see you soon). Use this with friends and family you’ll see soon. Salut is a casual and versatile greeting that can mean both “hi” and “bye” in French. Use this with someone you would address with the informal pronoun tu.
Goodbye in German: Auf wiedersehen
In German, clear communication and appropriate language are key. Auf wiedersehen is a common and neutral expression of “goodbye” in German. It works well for most interactions, but you might want to add a little more to a formal send-off with your boss, for example. Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Zeit (I thank you for your time) will go a long way.
Your go-to casual farewell in German is tschüss. But, you could also try tschau, borrowed from the Italian word ciao. It’s friendly and ends your conversation on a high note.
Goodbye in Italian: Arrivederci
Arrivederci, which literally means “until we meet again,” is the standard “goodbye” in Italian and the most polite. To Italians, it’ll sound quite formal so use it at work or with people you don’t know well.
Probably the most well known word for “bye” in Italian is ciao. It’s a casual way to say both “hi” and “bye,” depending on the context. Use it with friends, family, and anyone you know well.
Goodbye in Japanese: Sayōnara
When you learn Japanese, you’ll quickly pick up on the cultural etiquette involved in interactions. The standard and most formal “goodbye” in Japanese is さようなら (Sayōnara). It’s appropriate for parting ways in the classroom or at work.
With friends and family, however, you can be a lot more casual. Say じゃあね (Jā ne) when parting ways with people close to you. It literally means “see you.”
Goodbye in Spanish: Adiós
No matter what the situation, adiós is the most common and versatile way to say “goodbye” in Spanish. You can use it in both formal and casual situations.
You’re likely to hear Spanish speakers use a variety of phrases when saying “bye” with friends and family. The most common send-off phrase will be hasta luego. Use it to say a casual “see you later.”
Goodbye is just the beginning
Ready to bid farewell? Don’t say ciao to language learning just yet! In addition to learning how to say “bye” in various languages, Rosetta Stone can help you learn all sorts of greetings and more.
Through Rosetta Stone’s unique Dynamic 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. You’ll also get immediate feedback to perfect your pronunciation every time with TruAccent. And with lessons that take just 10 minutes, you’ll be conversation-ready in no time!
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