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Did you know this is how the word “goodbye” came to be:God be with you → God b’w’y → Godbwye → Goodbye
Interestingly, “goodbye” can have unique meanings in different languages:
- In French, the phrase “au revoir” translates literally to “until we see (each other) again” — suggesting that the parting is not final and that there is an intention or expectation to meet again in the future.
- In Spanish, the term “adiós” is derived from the phrase “a Dios voy,” which translates to “I am going to God” — suggesting a final farewell. However, in modern usage “adiós” is used in the same way as “goodbye” in English, and without necessarily implying that the two people will never meet again.
40+ Ways To Say Goodbye In Different Languages
1. Arabic: مع السلامة (Ma’a as-salaama)
- How to pronounce it: ma’a as-salaama
- Where to say it: Across the Arab world, including but not limited to, countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon.
2. Bulgarian: Довиждане (Dovizhdane)
- How to pronounce it: doh-veezh-DAH-neh
- Where to say it: Bulgaria and Bulgarian-speaking communities worldwide.
3. Croatian: Doviđenja
- How to pronounce it: doh-vee-JEH-nya
- Where to say it: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Croatian-speaking communities around the world.
4. Czech: Sbohem
- How to pronounce it: sbaw-HHEM
- Where to say it: Czech Republic and Czech-speaking communities worldwide.
5. Danish: Farvel
- How to pronounce it: fahr-VELL
- Where to say it: Denmark and Greenland.
6. Dutch: Tot ziens
- How to pronounce it: toht zeens
- Where to say it: The Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, and among Dutch-speaking communities worldwide.
7. Estonian: Hüvasti
- How to pronounce it: hyoo-vuh-stee
- Where to say it: Estonia and Estonian-speaking communities around the world.
8. Filipino: Paalam
- How to pronounce it: pah-a-lam
- Where to say it: The Philippines and Filipino-speaking communities around the world.
9. Finnish: Näkemiin
- How to pronounce it: NA-ke-MEEN
- Where to say it: Finland and some parts of Sweden.
10. French: Au revoir
- How to pronounce it: oh reh-VWAHR
- Where to say it: Predominantly in France but also understood in Quebec, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Guinea, Gabon, and Mauritius.
In some ways, a goodbye comes with a storm. A swirling tempest of emotions and memories.
Yet, just as the storm clears, a farewell can point to new hopes, warm sunshine, and clear skies.
“Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”
—Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
11. German: Auf Wiedersehen
- How to pronounce it: owf VEE-dur-zayn
- Where to say it: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe where German is widely spoken.
12. Greek: Αντίο
- How to pronounce it: ahn-TEE-oh
- Where to say it: Greece, Cyprus, and Greek communities around the world.
13. Hebrew: להתראות
- How to pronounce it: le-hit-ra-OHT
- Where to say it: Israel, and Hebrew-speaking communities around the globe.
14. Hindi: अलविदा
- How to pronounce it: Al-vi-daa
- Where to say it: India, Fiji, Nepal, and among Hindi-speaking communities worldwide.
15. Hungarian: Viszontlátásra
- How to pronounce it: vees-ont-LAA-taash-ra
- Where to say it: Hungary and Hungarian-speaking communities around the globe.
16. Icelandic: Bless
- How to pronounce it: bless
- Where to say it: Iceland and Icelandic-speaking communities worldwide.
17. Indonesian: Selamat tinggal
- How to pronounce it: Se-lam-at ting-gal
- Where to say it: Indonesia, East Timor, and Indonesian-speaking communities globally.
18. Irish: Slán
- How to pronounce it: slawn
- Where to say it: Ireland, particularly in the Gaeltacht regions, and Irish-speaking communities globally.
19. Italian: Arrivederci
- How to pronounce it: ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee
- Where to say it: Italy and parts of Switzerland.
20. Japanese: さようなら
- How to pronounce it: sah-yoh-NAH-rah
- Where to say it: Japan, and it’s understood in many parts of the world due to the influence of Japanese media.
And then, there are some necessary goodbyes. You have to say these, however hurtful it may be to let go of that toxic relationship.
“Closing your eyes isn’t going to change anything. Nothing’s going to disappear just because you can’t see what’s going on. In fact, things will even be worse the next time you open your eyes. That’s the kind of world we live in. Keep your eyes wide open. Only a coward closes his eyes. Closing your eyes and plugging up your ears won’t make time stand still.”
— Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
21. Korean: 안녕
- How to pronounce it: ahn-YONG
- Where to say it: South Korea, North Korea, and among Korean communities worldwide.
22. Latvian: Uz redzēšanos
- How to pronounce it: uhz reh-dzeh-shuhn-aws
- Where to say it: Latvia and Latvian-speaking communities globally.
23. Lithuanian: Viso gero
- How to pronounce it: vee-soh ghe-roh
- Where to say it: Lithuania and Lithuanian-speaking communities worldwide.
24. Maltese: Saħħa
- How to pronounce it: sah-ha
- Where to say it: Malta and Maltese-speaking communities globally.
25. Mandarin Chinese: 再见
- How to pronounce it: dzai jian
- Where to say it: Mainland China, Taiwan, and among many Chinese communities around the world.
You may know that ‘closure‘ is an emotional resolution we all seek when a relationship ends. It helps us move on. A meaningful ‘goodbye’ can be the right step in that direction. But sometimes, people don’t give us closure. How to get closure when someone ghosts you, and move on?
26. Norwegian: Farvel
- How to pronounce it: FAHR-vel
- Where to say it: Norway and Norwegian-speaking communities around the globe.
27. Polish: Do widzenia
- How to pronounce it: doh vee-DZEN-ya
- Where to say it: Poland and Polish communities around the globe.
28. Portuguese: Adeus
- How to pronounce it: ah-DEH-oosh
- Where to say it: Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, and other Portuguese-speaking countries.
29. Romanian: La revedere
- How to pronounce it: la reh-veh-DEH-reh
- Where to say it: Romania, Moldova, and Romanian-speaking communities worldwide.
30. Russian: До свидания
- How to pronounce it: doh svee-DAH-nee-ya
- Where to say it: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and many former Soviet republics.
31. Serbian: Dovidjenja
- How to pronounce it: doh-vee-DJEN-ya
- Where to say it: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbian-speaking communities worldwide.
32. Slovak: Do videnia
- How to pronounce it: doh VEE-deh-nya
- Where to say it: Slovakia and Slovak-speaking communities around the globe.
33. Slovenian: Nasvidenje
- How to pronounce it: na-svee-DEN-ye
- Where to say it: Slovenia and Slovenian-speaking communities globally.
34. Spanish: Adiós
- How to pronounce it: ah-dee-OHS
- Where to say it: Spain, most of Latin America, and in parts of the United States with a high Spanish-speaking population.
35. Swedish: Adjö
- How to pronounce it: ah-YOH
- Where to say it: Sweden, and some parts of Finland.
36. Thai: ลาก่อน
- How to pronounce it: lah GAWN
- Where to say it: Thailand and Thai-speaking communities worldwide.
37. Turkish: Hoşça kal
- How to pronounce it: hosh-cha-KAHL
- Where to say it: Turkey, Northern Cyprus, and Turkish communities globally.
38. Vietnamese: Tạm biệt
- How to pronounce it: tam byet
- Where to say it: Vietnam and Vietnamese-speaking communities around the world.
39. Welsh: Hwyl fawr
- How to pronounce it: hooil vour
- Where to say it: Wales and Welsh-speaking communities globally.
40. Zulu: Hamba kahle
- How to pronounce it: hahm-bah kah-le
- Where to say it: South Africa and in certain regions of Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
Table: Goodbye In 40 Languages
Here’s the table version of 40 ways to say goodbye in different languages:
| Language | Goodbye | Pronunciation | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | Ma’a As-Salaama | ma’a as-salaama | Across the Arab world |
| Bulgarian | Dovizhdane | doh-veezh-DAH-neh | Bulgaria and Bulgarian-speaking communities worldwide |
| Croatian | Doviđenja | doh-vee-JEH-nya | Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Czech | Sbohem | sbaw-HHEM | Czech Republic and Czech-speaking communities worldwide |
| Danish | Farvel | fahr-VELL | Denmark and Greenland |
| Dutch | Tot Ziens | toht zeens | The Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname |
| Estonian | Hüvasti | hyoo-vuh-stee | Estonia and Estonian-speaking communities |
| Filipino | Paalam | pah-a-lam | The Philippines and Filipino-speaking communities |
| Finnish | Näkemiin | NA-ke-MEEN | Finland and parts of Sweden |
| French | Au Revoir | oh reh-VWAHR | France, Quebec, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and more |
| German | Auf Wiedersehen | owf VEE-dur-zayn | Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
| Greek | Αντίο | ahn-TEE-oh | Greece, Cyprus, Greek communities worldwide |
| Hebrew | להתראות | le-hit-ra-OHT | Israel, Hebrew-speaking communities |
| Hindi | अलविदा | Al-vi-daa | India, Fiji, Nepal, Hindi-speaking communities |
| Hungarian | Viszontlátásra | vees-ont-LAA-taash-ra | Hungary and Hungarian-speaking communities |
| Icelandic | Bless | bless | Iceland and Icelandic-speaking communities |
| Indonesian | Selamat Tinggal | Se-lam-at ting-gal | Indonesia, East Timor, Indonesian-speaking communities |
| Irish | Slán | slawn | Ireland, particularly in the Gaeltacht regions |
| Italian | Arrivederci | ah-ree-veh-DEHR-chee | Italy and parts of Switzerland |
| Japanese | さようなら | sah-yoh-NAH-rah | Japan, and understood in many parts of the world |
| Korean | 안녕 | ahn-YONG | South Korea, North Korea, Korean communities worldwide |
| Latvian | Uz Redzēšanos | uhz reh-dzeh-shuhn-aws | Latvia and Latvian-speaking communities |
| Lithuanian | Viso Gero | vee-soh ghe-roh | Lithuania and Lithuanian-speaking communities |
| Maltese | Saħħa | sah-ha | Malta and Maltese-speaking communities |
| Mandarin Chinese | 再见 | dzai jian | Mainland China, Taiwan, Chinese communities worldwide |
| Norwegian | Farvel | FAHR-vel | Norway and Norwegian-speaking communities |
| Polish | Do Widzenia | doh vee-DZEN-ya | Poland and Polish communities worldwide |
| Portuguese | Adeus | ah-DEH-oosh | Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Portuguese-speaking countries |
| Romanian | La Revedere | la reh-veh-DEH-reh | Romania, Moldova, Romanian-speaking communities |
| Russian | До Свидания | doh svee-DAH-nee-ya | Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, former Soviet republics |
| Serbian | Dovidjenja | doh-vee-DJEN-ya | Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro |
| Slovak | Do Videnia | doh VEE-deh-nya | Slovakia and Slovak-speaking communities |
| Slovenian | Nasvidenje | na-svee-DEN-ye | Slovenia and Slovenian-speaking communities |
| Spanish | Adiós | ah-dee-OHS | Spain, Latin America, parts of the United States |
| Swedish | Adjö | ah-YOH | Sweden, and some parts of Finland |
| Thai | ลาก่อน | lah GAWN | Thailand and Thai-speaking communities |
| Turkish | Hoşça Kal | hosh-cha-KAHL | Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Turkish communities |
| Vietnamese | Tạm Biệt | tam byet | Vietnam and Vietnamese-speaking communities |
| Welsh | Hwyl Fawr | hooil vour | Wales and Welsh-speaking communities |
| Zulu | Hamba Kahle | hahm-bah kah-le | South Africa, regions of Eswatini, Zimbabwe |
⁕ Bonus: How To Say Goodbye In ASL (American Sign Language)
Saying goodbye in American Sign Language (ASL) is simple and intuitive. Just bend the large knuckles or at the wrist, much like how you would wave goodbye in non-sign language.
- Goodbye: Make a “C” shape with your dominant hand, with your thumb and index finger extended. Touch the tip of your thumb to your chin, then move your hand down and away from your body.
- Bye-bye: Make a “C” shape with your dominant hand, with your thumb and index finger extended. Fold your fingers down, then open them again.
- See you later: Make a “C” shape with your dominant hand, with your thumb and index finger extended. Touch the tip of your thumb to your chin, then move your hand up and to the side.
The Art of Saying Goodbye: How Real People Say It
- In India, ‘Alvidaa’ is not the typical term for goodbye in Hindi. Instead, ‘Namaste’ or ‘Phir Milenge’ (see you again) are preferred.
- In Thai, both ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ are expressed with the same word, ‘Sawasdeeka’ for females and ‘Sawasdeekrub’ for males. Although ‘La-korn’ is technically the term for ‘farewell’, it is rarely used in everyday conversation and is considered extremely formal, almost to the point of sounding unnatural. Even in formal situations, ‘Sawasdee’ is typically used.
- In Japanese さようなら (sayōnara) means farewell, as if you’re not going to see the other person for a long time. じゃね (ja ne) or またね (mata ne) are more casual ways to say “see you”. People can be offended if you say さようなら when you’re going to see them again soon, because they might think that you don’t want to meet them.
- In Malaysia, particularly in urban areas like Kuala Lumpur, people rarely use the formal Malay term for goodbye, “Selamat Tinggal” in everyday conversation. Some even feel a bit strange to use it in casual settings. Instead, the English words “Bye” or “Bye Bye” have been widely adopted and are commonly used now in both formal and informal situations.
- Here’s how to say ‘goodbye’ in some more languages: ‘Hejdå’ in Swedish, ‘Agur’ in Basque, ‘Nashledanou’ in Czech, ‘Hoşçakal’ in Turkish, ‘Tchau’ in Portuguese, ‘Dovidenja’ in Croatian, and ‘La Revedere’ in Romanian.
FAQs
How to say goodbye in the English language?
Here are some ways to say goodbye in English:
• “Farewell” — A more formal and somewhat old-fashioned way to say goodbye.
• “Goodbye” — The most formal and straightforward way to say farewell.
• “Bye” or “Bye-bye” — Informal and commonly used ways to say goodbye.
• “Take care” — A warm, caring way to say goodbye; often said with Bye.
• “Have a good day” — A friendly, positive way to say goodbye.
• “See you later” — A casual way to say goodbye, often used among friends.
• “Safe travels” — This is often used when someone is leaving for a trip.
• “Until next time” — Implies that you expect to see the person again in the future.How to say Goodbye when in Hungary (pronunciation)?
In Hungarian, there are several ways to say goodbye:
• “Szia” (see-yah) or “sziasztok” (see-yah-stoke): A friendly “hi” or “bye” to one person or to more than one person. This greeting form is often doubled up by saying “szia-szia”.
• “Jó éjszakát” (yoh ey-sa-kat): “Good night”. You can use this both in a formal or informal conversation.
• “Viszontlátásra” (vee-saunt-lah-tahs-ra): “Goodbye”. This is a formal term for farewell. In friendly company, you can simply say “szia”, as explained above.
• “Puszi” (poo-see): “Kiss (on the cheek)”. Upon concluding a face-to-face meeting or a phone call, close friends simply use this word to say goodbye. Often, you can hear “puszi” combined with “szia”, creating the phrase “szia-szia, puszi-puszi”.
[Here’s another language-related post: How to write this word correctly: Trully or Truly (Or Truely): Which One Is Right?]
Final Words
“Goodbye” is a symbol of closure and the end of something meaningful. It can be a farewell to a friend, a loved one, or even a whole chapter in your life.
Our “goodbye” could also be a final goodbye to a departed one, truly reminding us of the origin of the word from the religious blessing, “God be with you!”
Farewells can evoke powerful emotions because they’re associated with endings and separations. The way we say goodbye isn’t just a formality; it reflects our culture and values.
In some cultures, a handshake or hug is the norm, while in others, a bow or a kiss on the cheek is more common.
The emotion behind a goodbye also tells a story: A tearful hug often signals a long separation, whereas smiles and hand waves suggest an eager expectation to meet again soon.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
— Dr. Seuss
√ Also Read: How To Be Happy After Breakup (And Survive If Still In Love)
√ Please share it with someone if you found this helpful.
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