If you want to fit in better in France and sound more natural when speaking French, then you need to learn different ways of expressing yourselves to the person you are speaking to. So, how do you say “goodbye” in French? Most of the French students know “au revoir” is a way to say goodbye in the French language. However, french offers a rich variety of expressions to say goodbye each suited to different scenarios. Thus, this blog will let you know several ways to say goodbye in French with their pronunciation.
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If you are a beginner in French language and planning to study in a French-speaking country then knowing some basic or common ways to say goodbye in French is important. Familiarizing yourself with the expressions will help you sound natural and adaptable, in any of the French-speaking regions. Thus, in the table below we have mentioned the most common ways how to say goodbye in French language for all purposes.
Also Read: How Are You in French?
| English | French | French Pronunciation | Meaning in French Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh ruh-vwar | “Until we see each other again” |
| Goodbye, until next time | Au revoir, à la prochaine | oh ruh-vwar, ah-la-pro-shen | “See you next time” |
| See you soon | À bientôt | ah-be-uhn-toh | “See you soon” |
| Goodbye, have a nice day | Au revoir, bonne journée | oh ruh-vwar, bun-jour-neh | “Have a good day” |
| Have a good night | Bonne nuit | bun-new-ee | “Good night” |
| Good afternoon | Bon après-midi | bun-ah-prey-me-dee | “Have a good afternoon” |
| Good evening | Bonne soirée or Bonsoir | bun-swar–eh or bun-swar | “Have a good evening” |
| See you later | À plus tard | ah-plu-tar | “See you later” |
| See you in a bit | À tout de suite or À tout à l’heure | ah-too-duh-sweet or ah-too-tah-lure | “See you very soon” |
| See you tomorrow | À demain | ah-demahn | “Until tomorrow” or “See you tomorrow” |
| Until we meet again | Au plaisir | oh-pleh-zir | “Looking forward to see you again” |
| See you on Monday | À lundi | ah-lund-ee | “See you on Monday” |
| Let’s call each other | On s’appelle | uhn-sa-pelle | “I’ll call you” |
| Good luck | Bon courage | bun-coo-hage | “Good luck” |
| I’m leaving | J’y vais | gee-vey | “I’m off” |
| We’ll meet next weak | à la semaine prochaine | aa-la-summen-po-shain | “See you next week” |
| We’ll meet next year | à l’année prochaine | aa-laa-knee-po-shain | “See you next year” |
The French language contains over 100,000 words, but you only need to learn basic French words while saying goodbye. However, French is rather a formal language. Thus, in the given table, we have covered the ways how to say goodbye in French in a formal way. This will make your conversation more engaging among the listeners.
| English | French | Pronunciation | Meaning in French Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farewell | Adieu | ah-diuh | “Until god” |
| Looking forward to see you again | Au plaisir de vous revoir | oh-pleh-zir-duh-vou-ruh-vwar | “Will see you again” |
| All the best | Bonne continuation | bun-cohn-tee-new-ah-see-uhn | “Will not see the person for few years” |
| Nice to meet you | ravi de vous rencontrer | Haavi-de-vu-haunth-heh | “Delighted to meet you” |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh ruh-vwar | “Until we see each other again” |
The “Salut” is one of the most common ways to say goodbye in French in an informal setting. However, in the table below we have provided a list of how to say goodbye in French language in informal settings.
| English | French | Pronunciation | Meaning in French Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Later | À plus or À + | ah-plews | “See you” |
| Take care | Prends soin de toi or Fais attention à toi | prahn-swahn-duh-twahorfey-ah-tahn-cion-ah-twah | “Take care of yourself” |
| Say hi to your dad for me | Passe le bonjour à ton père | pass-leuh-bon-jour-ah-tahn-pear | “Say hello to your father” |
| Kisses | Bisous or Bises | bee-zoo or beez | “Kisses kisses” |
| Hugs and kisses | Je t’embrasse | juh-tahn-brass | “Hugs and kisses” |
| See you | A un de ces quatre | Ah deh seh kaht reu | “See you” |
| Stay in touch | On se tient au courant | on se ti un o curan | “Let’s keep in touch” |
French pronunciation can be very challenging so it is always advisable to learn French slang which you can say in conversation with your friends. However, there is also a scope for offline or online French course which students can take. Now see the below-given list of French goodbye slang with their pronunciation and meaning.
| English | French | Pronunciation | Meaning in French Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let’s keep in touch | On se tient au jus | uhn-suh-tiuhn-oh-jew | “We’ll keep in contact” |
| Later in the bus | À plus dans l’bus | ah-plus-dahnl-boose | “See you later on the bus” |
| I’m out of here | Je me casse or Je me tire | Juh-muh-cahsorjuh-muh-teer | “I’m getting out” |
| See you | À la revoyure | ah-lah-ruh-vwar-ure | “See you again” |
| See ya | À tout’ | ah-toot | “See you right away” |
| See you again | À un de ces quatre | ah-uhn-duh-seh-catre | “See you around” |
| Let’s call each other and go to eat | On s’appelleons’fait une bouffe | uhn-sah-pell-uhn-sfey-uhn-bewf | “Let’s call each other and go to eat” |
Depending on where in the French-speaking world you are, you will hear different variations on goodbyes. However, below are some common ones to look out for in different places on how to say goodbye in French language.
In Quebec, “salut” is often used as a casual farewell, followed by “bye”. This depicts the bilingual nature of the province.
In Swiss French, “adieu” is still in use but there is no finality to use it. It can be used in a more casual context.
In Belgium, “a tantôt” is a common way to say “See you soon”. It is used in both formal and informal settings.
In Acadian French, a variation is spoken in different parts of Canada, “à la revoyure” is used to mean “until we see each other again.”
Must Read: Thank You in French
The French “farewell” is the most heartfelt or polite way to say goodbye, often for longer-term departures. It shows a sense of finality and earnest well-wishing, making it suitable for occasions where you might not see the person again. Furthermore, below are some more phrases that you can use while saying goodbye in French politely.
1. C’était un plaisir de parler avec vous
Pronunciation: see-tiah-un-please-her-de-pallet-awake-vu
This means “It was a pleasure talking with you.” A warm and polite way to end a conversation.
2. Je dois vous laisser
Pronunciation: Je-dua-vu-leasie
This means “I have to leave.” It’s a polite way to excuse yourself from a conversation.
3. Je ne vous retiens pas plus longtemps
Pronunciation: Je-na-vu-ha-tiien-pa-plu-longton
This means “I won’t keep you any longer”- a polite way to end a conversation by understanding the other person’s time.
4. On en reparle la prochaine fois
Pronunciation: un-on-heh-pahle-la-por-shain-future
This means “We’ll talk about it next time.” It is a way to end a conversation while leaving the discussion open for the future.
5. Je vous remercie pour votre temps
Pronunciation: Je-vu-heh-machine-ph-vote-heh-ton
This means “Thank you for your time.” It’s a polite way to end a conversation, as you understand the other person’s time and attention.
When saying bye in French, there is a lot more to think about before using the right words. The below given points below will make you understand the cultural aspects while saying goodbyes in the French language.
Suggested Read: Days of the Week in French
In the above sections, we have understood French expressions for goodbye in different situations. Now in this section, you will learn about real-life scenarios or conversations in the French language.
First Conversation
Que veux-tu faire aujourd’hui ?
Voulez-vous aller au cinéma ou vous garer?
En fait, j'ai vraiment envie de me reposer aujourd'hui car je suis très fatigué.
D'accord. À bientôt!
Second Conversation
Aimez-vous les mathématiques?
Non, je ne suis pas doué pour ça.
Ne t'inquiète pas! je vais t'apprendre
Merci. Cela signifie beaucoup pour moi
je te verrai demain
To conclude, we discussed several ways how to say goodbye in French with pronunciation. Further, we also had a brief look at the common ways, formally, informally, regional variations, and tips on saying goodbye in France. This blog has helped you to understand the basics of French language and ways to say goodbye in the french. Now if you are willing to learn French then connect with Gradding.com and join our online or offline French classes at an affordable price.
Au revoir (Oh reh-wah) is the most common way to say French goodbye, and it is accepted in a vast variety of situations, formal and informal. It means “until we see each other again”.
"Au revoir" is a more polite and heartfelt way to say French Farewell. It shows a sense of finality and well-wishing. However, Je dois vous laisser is another polite way to say goodbye in the French language.
Yes, those who take an interest in the use of French words will be aware that French people sometimes use the word “ciao” (that can also be spelled “that”) in place of “au revoir”.
There are several ways to say goodbye in French over an e-mail or phone call that are as follows:
1. The casual one: À bientôt, À plus. Meaning: “See you soon”, “See you later”
2. The semi-formal one for colleagues or clients: Cordialement, Bien à vous. Meaning: “Regards”, “All the best”
3. The formal one: Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame/Monsieur. Meaning: “Yours faithfully”, “Yours truly”.
4. How Do You Say Goodbye in French at the End of a Conversation?
Here are some French goodbye phrases that you can use while ending the conversation.
1. Au revoir
2. Bonne journée / Bonne soirée
3. À tout à l'heure
4. À plus tard (Ah plue tahr)
5. À bientôt (Ah bee yen toe)
6. À tout de suite (Ah too deh sweet)
7. À la prochaine (Ah la prosh-enne)
8. À demain (A deh-mahn)
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