What is the word for saying goodbye

It’s important to learn how to say goodbye in English because this is a crucial conversational skill to have as a new learner. In any language, saying goodbye at the end of a conversation or when leaving a group is polite. It lets the other party know that you respect them, and it makes your leave less abrupt.

In this article, we’ll go over a number of ways to say goodbye in English. We cover the most common words and phrases for a variety of situations, so you’ll never have to leave awkwardly again! 

→ Before you continue, we recommend that you read our articles on How to Say Hello in English and How to Confidently Introduce Yourself.

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Table of Contents

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English
2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation
3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture
4. Final Thoughts

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English

In the United States, there are two goodbye words you’re going to hear often. These are:

“Goodbye“	This one is more formal, but it’s still casual enough to use with friends and family.
“Bye“	This means the exact same thing as “goodbye,” but is shorter and a little bit less formal.

If you only learn a couple ways to say goodbye in English today, it should be these. 

2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation

Now, let’s move on to more specific English phrases for goodbye. In the following sections, I’ll give you words and phrases to say goodbye based on the situation or context. I’ll also provide examples for each one, so you can see how to use them.

A- Formal

Here are some formal ways to say goodbye in English. These are fairly versatile, and you can use them in most situations that call for formal language.

“Thank you for your time.”

You can use this phrase in formal situations, after someone has offered you their time or helped you with something. This is also common after meetings or appointments. Keep in mind that you can use this phrase in both spoken and written communication. 

Example:

→ Here’s some Useful Vocabulary You Need at the Bank! 

“I enjoyed our talk.”

This is something someone would say after talking with a client, patient, or anyone else in a more formal environment. 

Example:

“It was a pleasure speaking with you.”

This is something a client may tell a customer, especially in more formal or regulated environments, such as a bank or other financial institution. 

Example:

“I look forward to our next meeting.”

People often use this phrase when they plan on seeing the other person (or people) again in a formal environment. 

Example:

“Thank you for scheduling your appointment. We’ll see you then.”

This is a common way of saying goodbye in formal situations, especially when a customer or client is leaving.

Example:

B- Making Arrangements for Another Meeting

We’ve covered how to say goodbye in formal situations, but what about when things are more laid-back? Here are some English goodbye phrases you can use to plan another meeting with a friend.

“See you later.”

This is a very common phrase to use when you’re about to part ways with a friend (or group of friends). It means that you plan on seeing them again, but you’re not sure exactly when. 

Example:

“Catch you later.”

This phrase has the exact same meaning as “see you later,” but is significantly more casual. 

Example:

“See you around.”

This one is very similar to the two phrases above. 

Example:

“See you tomorrow.”

When you say “See you tomorrow,” it means that you actually plan on seeing them tomorrow, usually because you set a date with that person. 

Example:

“See you at eight.”

In this phrase, you can replace “eight” with any other time. This is used in situations similar to the one above.

Example:

“See you in a couple weeks.”

This is something you would say to someone if you plan on meeting with them in a couple of weeks. You can replace “a couple weeks” with any other extended time period.

Example:

Additional Note

Most of the phrases in this section can also be used as a question. For example, if you want to confirm when you’ll be seeing someone next, you can say the relevant phrase as a question.

Example:

→ Want more useful phrases? Check out our list of the Top 10 Conversational Phrases! 

C. Seeing Someone Off

It can be painful to say goodbye to someone you care about, especially when you know they’ll be gone a long time, or are going somewhere far away. Here are some special goodbye phrases you can use for situations like this.

“Take care.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to take care of themselves while they’re gone.

Example:

“Drive safe.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to drive safely, especially if you know they’ll be driving a long distance or in dangerous driving conditions.

Example:

“Safe travels.”

This one is a more generic goodbye phrase for when someone will be traveling. It means you want them to be safe during their travels.

Example:

“Have a safe trip home.”

You can say this to someone when they’re about to leave for home.

Example:

“I’ll miss you.”

You can say this to someone you really care about before they leave. 

Example:

“Don’t be gone too long.”

If you’re really going to miss someone after they leave, you can say this to them. It shows the other person that you’ll miss them and look forward to the next time you can see them again.

Example:

“Call me when you get there.”

Say this to someone to let them know you care about their safety while traveling. It means that you expect a phone call (or text message) from them when they arrive, so you know they’re safe. This is especially common for a parent or grandparent to tell their child or grandchild.

Example:

“I love you.”

Many times, saying goodbye to someone we care about involves saying “I love you,” especially if it will be a while before you see them again.

Example:

“Farewell.”

This goodbye phrase may be a little bit outdated, but some people still say this. It’s basically a way of letting the other person know you want them to be safe while they’re away.

Example:

D. Leaving a Group or Party in a Hurry

It can be very awkward to leave a group of people without saying anything. If you need to quickly say goodbye in English conversations involving a lot of people, there are a few phrases you can use to let people know you’ll be leaving soon.

“I gotta run / fly / jet.”

This is a very informal way of letting people know you’re about to leave, and is fine for any kind of casual gathering. The words “run,” “fly,” and “jet” are pretty much interchangeable, as they all mean that you need to leave quickly. 

Example:

“I’ll need to get going soon.”

This is a slightly more formal and polite way of saying that you need to leave. It’s not really saying “goodbye,” but it’s a way of letting others know you’ll have to go. 

Example:

“I can’t stay much longer.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. 

Example:

“There’s someplace I need to be.”

You can use this phrase to let others know you need to leave in order to be somewhere else, especially if it’s another responsibility you have. ‘

Example:

“Sorry to leave so soon, but I have to ___.”

With this goodbye phrase, you can actually let others know the reason you need to leave. In some cases, this can make your leaving seem less rude or abrupt. 

Example:

“I’m off.”

This is another slightly informal way of letting others know you need to leave. It’s almost the same as “I gotta run.” 

Example:

E. Wishing Someone Well

When you’re about to part ways with someone, it’s considered very polite to wish them well, especially if you know the person. Here are some common ways people in the United States do this.

“Have a nice day.”

This is probably the most common way to wish someone well before saying goodbye. It’s just a simple wish for the other person to have a good day from that point on.

Example:

“Have a great rest of your ___.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. Here, you can fill in the blank with any amount of time.

Example:

“Take it easy.”

This one might sound strange, but it’s just a way to wish the other person a good day. More specifically, it means that you want them to enjoy themself and stay safe.

Example:

“Have a good one.”

In this phrase, “one” refers to a day. It’s exactly the same as telling someone to “Have a good day,” but it’s a little bit more casual.

Example:

“Well…”

The word “well” is very versatile in English, and in this case, it acts as a transition word. People use it often as a way of leading into a goodbye. Sometimes, the other person will understand the hint and say goodbye themselves.

Example:

“Well, I’d best get to it.”

This is a good way of politely ending a conversation, especially if you have something you need to do and the other person won’t stop talking.

Example:

“I won’t keep you any longer.”

If you’re lucky, this is what your neighbor will say to you afterward. It’s basically a roundabout way of saying goodbye.

Example:

F. Asking Someone to Keep in Touch

When you ask someone to “keep in touch,” you’re letting them know that you want to hear from, or spend time with, them again. Here are a few common parting phrases you can use to do this.

“Keep in touch.”

This is the most straightforward way to let someone know you want to talk again. 

Example:

“Call me later.” 

You can say this to someone if you want them to call you later.

Example:

“I’ll call you later.”

This is what you can say when the roles are reversed, or just if you want to call the person later.

Example:

“When can I call you?”

Either you or your friend can ask this, depending on the situation.

Example:

“When can I expect your call?”

Again, you can use this one when the roles are reversed.

Example:

“Talk to you later.”

This is very similar to “See you later,” but it actually has more to do with talking to the person.

Example:

“Don’t be a stranger.”

When you tell someone “Don’t be a stranger,” it’s a way of letting them know you want to see and talk with them often.

Example:

G. Letting Someone Know You Enjoyed Seeing Them

Imagine you’ve just spent the day with your best friend, whom you hadn’t seen in years. You’ll want to tell him or her how much you enjoyed seeing them and spending time together.

“It was nice seeing you / talking with you.”

This is a very common way to say goodbye in English, and you can use it in both formal and informal situations. 

Example:

“Always nice talking with you.”

This is almost the same as the phrase above, but this one is normally used with people you see from time to time.

Example:

“I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.”

This is something you might say to a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, especially if you were able to learn new details about each other’s lives while talking.

Example:

“We’ll have to do this more often.”

This is something you might say to a friend you really enjoy spending time with, but haven’t been seeing as much lately.

Example:

“I hope we can do this again sometime soon.”

This one is very similar to the one above. 

Example:

H. Goodbye Phrases for Texting or Talking on the Phone

Today, so much of our communication is done over the phone. Here are a few ways you can say goodbye to someone via text or while talking on the phone.

Texting 

Phrase	Situation	Example
BRB (Be Right Back)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a little while, but plan on texting more in a few minutes.	You: “BRB. Dinner.”Friend: “Ok.”
G2g or Gtg (Got To Go)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a longer while, and probably won’t be able to talk anytime soon.	You: “G2g. Very busy.”Friend: “Ok.”
TTYL (Talk To You Later)	Use this when you need to stop texting, but want to text again sometime in the near future.	You: “G2g.”Friend: “TTYL.”
Bye	Use this when ending a text conversation.	You: “Bye.”Friend: “Ok, bye.”

→ For more words like these, check out our English Texting Slang vocabulary list!

Talking on the Phone

Phrase	Situation	Example
“Thanks again. Bye.”	You can use this to end a phone conversation where someone helped you or answered a question for you.	You: “Can you help me close my account?”Person on Phone: “Sure…” — You: “Thanks again. Bye.”
“Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.”	You can use this after talking with a friend or relative on the phone.	You: “Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.”Relative: “Thank you. Nice talking to you too.”
“I’ll see you/talk to you then. Bye.”	You can use this phrase after making an appointment with someone over the phone.	You: “Okay, eight o’clock. I’ll see you then. Bye.”Other Person: “Okay. Bye.”

→ See our vocabulary list Useful Phrases for a Phone Call for even more!

3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture

English has some creative ways of saying goodbye. Keep in mind that the phrases and words here are very informal, and should only be used with close friends or family. 

“Smell you later.”

This is a play on words associated with the phrase “See you later,” and it means the exact same thing. There’s a lot of debate about where the phrase actually came from, but this is the best source I could find. 

Example:

“See you later, alligator.”

This phrase has nothing to do with an actual alligator. This fun English slang for goodbye is another play on words, because “gator” rhymes with “later.” In response, many people will reply with “In a while, crocodile.” 

This phrase is thought to have originated from a 1950s song titled See You Later Alligator.

Example:

“TTFN” (“Ta-ta for now.”)

TTFN stands for “ta-ta for now.” This one is less common, originally used in the UK during WWII. Anyone who knows Disney should get it, though, as the Winnie the Pooh character Tigger says goodbye to his friends this way. (“TTFN! Ta-ta for now!”)

Example:

“Cheerio.”

“Cheerio” is a word that was first used in England to say goodbye. Sometimes, people in the U.S. like saying this as well.

Example:

“Adios.”

Adios is the Spanish word for “goodbye,” but it’s pretty common to use this in the United States when saying bye to friends. 

Example:

“Ciao.”

Ciao is the French word for “goodbye,” but like adios and cheerio, it’s sometimes used in the United States when saying bye to friends.

Example:

4. Final Thoughts

In this article, we showed you some English words to say goodbye, popular goodbye phrases for any situation, and more. We hope you feel more confident now to start excusing yourself from conversations or wishing your friend a good day. 

This is just the beginning of what EnglishClass101.com has to offer. To learn more words and phrases in English for day-to-day conversations, check out the following pages:

• English Travel Phrases
• Learn How to Confidently Introduce Yourself in English
• How to Make an Apology for Poor English, and More! 
• Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear
• Top 10 English Phrases to Amaze Native Speakers

Remember: Keep practicing, and use English often. With enough practice and determination, you’re sure to get the hang of English conversations and eventually master the language! 

EnglishClass101 will be here with you every step of the way. Happy learning! 

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you say goodbye in your own language. We look forward to hearing from you.

What is the word for saying goodbye?

Um, the single word for “say farewell” is farewell. This is English. You can use any word at all as a verb. Wiktionary: farewell (third-person singular simple present farewells, present participle farewelling, simple past and past participle farewelled)

What does goodbye really mean?

A goodbye means that someone’s departing: you say goodbye to your parents when you go off to college, and you also say goodbye to guests when they leave after a visit. The original goodbye, dating from the 1570s, was godbwye, which was a contraction of the farewell phrase “God be with ye!” Definitions of goodbye.

How do you say goodbye in rude?

Sarcastic Ways to Say Goodbye

1. Have a good one.
2. It was nice to see you again.
3. Hasta la vista, baby.
4. Later, haters.
5. Give a hug, ladybug.
6. I gotta bounce.
7. Toodle-pip!
8. Calc you later!

What to say instead of see you soon?

Synonyms for See you soon

• see you tomorrow.
• we’ll see you soon.
• all right then.
• aloha. int.
• cheery-bye.
• have a good night.
• have a great day.
• i’ll be right back.

How do you politely say goodbye?

17 Smart Ways to Say Goodbye in English

1. Bye. This is the standard goodbye.
2. Bye bye! This sweet and babyish expression is usually only used when speaking to children.
3. See you later, See you soon or Talk to you later.
4. I’ve got to get going or I must be going.
5. Take it easy.
6. I’m off.
7. Goodbye.
8. Have a nice day or Have a good _____

Does all the best mean goodbye?

A farewell sentiment conveying best wishes or regards; used as either a standalone phrase in one-on-one conversation, or as an imperative phrase meant for someone both parties know.

Is it correct to say all the very best?

It’s not technically grammatically correct, however it is an English idiom (at least for some English speaking peoples). Usually you will hear it said in the way: “All the very best to you!” The ‘very best’ being: ‘best wishes’ or ‘best of health’, ‘best of luck’ etc.

What can I say instead of all the best?

Ways to Say “GOOD LUCK”

• All the best!
• Be careful!
• Best of luck!
• Fingers crossed!
• I hope things will turn out fine.
• Wishing you all the best!
• Wishing you lots of luck!
• You are going to be amazing!

How do you say I wish you all the best?

GOOD LUCK Sayings!

1. Wish you all the best!
2. Wish you the best of luck!
3. Good luck with that!
4. Best of luck!
5. I wish you luck!
6. Wishing you lots of luck!
7. Fingers crossed!
8. Break a leg!

What is the meaning of wish you all the best?

When someone says, “I wish you all the best” they are basically saying “good luck in the future”… It is a wish that the other person’s life only be filled with the best things!

What is correct wish you or wishing you?

It´s “wishes”, since it is in third person (Everyone), so the correct way to say it is: Everyone here at xyz wishes you a happy holiday. 1 Forming the third person singular of the present tense in verbs ending in sibilant sounds.

How do you wish someone the best in your life?

Good Luck and Best Wishes Quotes

1. And here’s wishing you the very best for all the new ventures, that life has in store for you.
2. I find my heart singing a chorus at your happy news.
3. Keep your best wishes, close to your heart and watch what happens.
4. Don’t be afraid of moving forward.
5. Good luck and tons of best wishes.

How can I wish my future success?

May you always be at the right place at the right time! I wish you all the success today and always! All the best for a bright future! May there be success at every turn of life and all your dreams come true!

How do you wish someone to be happy?

How to Say ‘Wishing You Good Health and Happiness’ on Someone’s Birthday

1. “Best wishes on your birthday!”
2. “Happy YOU day!”
3. “We wish we could be there to celebrate with you on your special day!
4. “I hope this is your best year ever!
5. “May all your dreams come true this year!
6. “Your strength and attitude inspire me.

How do you wish differently?

New and Different Ways to Say “Happy Birthday”

1. A million magic wishes to you!
2. A remarkable year to come!
3. All the best to you and the years to come.
4. Blow the candle and make a wish.
5. Haberday!
6. Happy anni-birth-sary!
7. Happy anniversary with life.
8. Happy Beerday!

How do you wish someone to recover?

Sending warm wishes for a speedy recovery, Haley! Feel better soon, Sam. We miss you!…

1. Thinking of you as you recover, Jennifer.
2. Feel better, friend!
3. It’s really icky that you’ve been sicky.
4. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Mark – in record time!

What is the best birthday message?

Examples

• “I’m so grateful you came into the world because you make my world better every day.
• “Thanks for you being you and being mine.”
• “It’s your day, and I can’t wait to celebrate it with you.”
• “I hope your birthday is the happiest.”
• “Happy Birthday, Beautiful.”
• “Wish you were here for me to spoil today.”

How do you wish healthy?

Get Well Wishes

1. Feel better soon!
2. Hope you feel better soon.
3. Hoping you find strength with each new day.
4. Have a speedy recovery!
5. I hope each new day brings you closer to a full and speedy recovery!
6. May good health envelop you, spurring a quick recovery.
7. Thinking of you lots and hoping for your speedy recovery.

How do you write a Take Care message?

Take Care Message for Her Take care, sweetheart. My loveliest girl, I hope you take good care of yourself and your health. You are one of the best persons in my life, and I love and adore you a lot. Please take care of yourself, my love, because you mean the world to me.

How do you wish a long life?

Happy Birthday to You, I Wish You Long Life and Prosperity

1. I wish you long life full of gratitude, goodness and happiness.
2. With your friendship, my world is filled with laughter and love.
3. It’s your birthday, I wish you enjoy every moment of this special day to the fullest.

How is your health now message?

I hope you feel better soon. It’s been so lovely seeing you every day, with your humor and kindness, but it has been so sad not seeing you. Being ill and out of commission is hard on anyone. Everyone here sends best wishes for your health and healing.

How are you feeling now message?

Heartfelt Messages: Wishing you all of the love and support you need to feel better soon. Thinking of you lots and wishing for a quick recovery. Sending lots of hugs and love your way. Remember to take things one day at a time!

How To Say “Goodbye” Without Saying “Goodbye”

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“Goodbyes” don’t have to always be so heavy. They can be casual, fun, and friendly too! Below you’ll find 13 synonyms for “goodbye.”

Прощание

Phrases used in parting can be formal or informal and are pronounced with certain intonation. (See Listening for Phrases: Greetings in the section Phrases.)

Фразы, употребляемые при прощании, могут быть официальными или неофициальными и произносятся с определённой интонацией. (См. Listening for Phrases: Greetings в разделе Phrases.)

Informal phrases are generally used in informal situations. Shortened phrases (for example, Bye-bye; Bye; See you) are less formal than full phrases (Good-bye; I’ll be seeing you).

Фразы неофициального характера обычно употребляются в неофициальной обстановке. Укороченные фразы (например, Bye-bye; Bye; See you) менее официальны, чем полные фразы (Good-bye; I’ll be seeing you).

Parting phrases are also called «parting greetings, farewell greetings, farewell words, farewell expressions, parting salutations, partings» in English reference materials.

Прощальные фразы также называются «parting greetings, farewell greetings, farewell words, farewell expressions, parting salutations, partings» в английских справочных материалах.

Main expressions

Основные выражения

Good-bye!

До свидания!

Have a nice day.

Всего доброго. Всего хорошего.

Have a good day.

Всего доброго. Всего хорошего.

See you.

Пока. Увидимся.

See you soon.

До скорой встречи.

See you around.

Увидимся. До встречи.

Bye-bye! / Bye!

Пока! Всего!

So long!

До свидания! До встречи! Пока!

Take care now.

Всего хорошего.

Good night.

Спокойной ночи. Доброй ночи.

Usage notes

Заметки по употреблению

«Good-bye» is used in formal and informal situations. «Good-bye» has several spelling variants: good-bye, goodbye, good-by, goodby. The variants «good-bye» and «goodbye» are quite common in American English. In British English, «goodbye» seems to be more frequently used.

«Good-bye» употребляется в официальной и неофициальной обстановке. «Good-bye» имеет несколько вариантов написания: good-bye, goodbye, good-by, goodby. Варианты «good-bye» и «goodbye» часто встречаются в американском английском. В британском английском, «goodbye» кажется более часто употребляемым.

«Bye-bye» is used in informal situations. «Bye-bye» is often shortened to «Bye».

«Bye-bye» употребляется в неофициальных ситуациях. «Bye-bye» часто сокращается до «Bye».

«So long» is used in informal situations, usually between friends. «So long» has the following meaning: Good-bye until we see each other again.

«So long» употребляется в неофициальных ситуациях, обычно между друзьями. «So long» имеет следующее значение: До свидания, пока мы снова не увидимся; пока; до следующей встречи.

«See you» and various variants like «See you around; See you later; See you soon; See you tomorrow» are used in informal situations if another meeting is expected.

«See you» и различные варианты типа «See you around; See you later; See you soon; See you tomorrow» употребляются в неофициальных ситуациях, если ожидается ещё встреча.

«Good night» is used for saying good-bye late in the evening, especially before going to sleep. Informal variant «Nighty-night» (also, Nightie-night; Night-night) may be used among family members; for example, it may be said to children when wishing good night.

«Good night» употребляется при прощании поздно вечером, особенно перед сном. Неофициальный вариант «Nighty-night» (также, Nightie-night; Night-night) может употребляться между членами семьи; например, может говориться детям как пожелание спокойной ночи.

«Good day» and sometimes «Good evening» may be used at parting, though generally they are used as greetings at meeting. (See Getting Acquainted in the section Phrases.)

«Good day» и иногда «Good evening» могут употребляться при прощании, хотя в основном они употребляются как приветствия при встрече. (См. Getting Acquainted в разделе Phrases.)

«Have a nice day» and «Have a good day» are used in formal and informal situations; for example, they may be said to visitors, clients, acquaintances, friends.

«Have a nice day» и «Have a good day» употребляются в официальных и неофициальных ситуациях; например, они могут говориться посетителям, клиентам, знакомым, друзьям.

Note:

Примечание:

«Farewell» is rarely used as a parting greeting nowadays, though sometimes it may be used to stress the seriousness of the situation (Farewell, friends!), poetically (Farewell, my beloved friend!), or jokingly.

«Farewell» редко употребляется как прощальное приветствие в наши дни, хотя иногда оно может употребляться, чтобы подчеркнуть серьёзность ситуации (В добрый путь, друзья!), поэтически (Прощай, мой любимый друг!), или в шутку.

«Good riddance» is a sarcastic and unfriendly expression used in the meaning «I don’t like you, and I’m glad that you’re leaving».

«Good riddance» (Скатертью дорожка) – саркастическое и недружелюбное выражение, употребляемое в значении «Вы мне не нравитесь, и я рад, что вы уходите».

Accompanying expressions

Сопутствующие выражения

When people say good-bye, it is customary to add several pleasant phrases that help to finish the conversation politely.

Когда люди прощаются, принято добавить несколько приятных фраз, которые помогают вежливо завершить разговор.

Pleasant phrases usually express the following: why it’s time to say good-bye; pleasure at having seen your conversation partner; a wish to meet again.

Приятные фразы обычно выражают следующее: почему пора прощаться; удовольствие от встречи с вашим собеседником; пожелание встретиться снова.

Such phrases can be used in various combinations depending on the situation.

Такие фразы можно употреблять в различных комбинациях в зависимости от ситуации.

Examples of typical phrases and responses used at parting are given below.

Примеры типичных фраз и откликов, употребляемых при прощании, даны ниже.

Example 1

Пример 1

Well, I’d better be going now, or I’ll be late. Hope to see you soon. Good-bye!

Мне пора идти, а то опоздаю. Надеюсь скоро увидеться с вами. До свидания!

Nice seeing you. Have a good day!

Было приятно увидеться с вами. Всего хорошего!

Example 2

Пример 2

I’m afraid I have to go now. It was nice seeing you. Good-bye!

Боюсь, мне пора идти. Было приятно с вами повидаться. До свидания!

It was good seeing you. Bye!

Я тоже был рад увидеться с вами. Пока!

Example 3

Пример 3

It’s getting late, and I’ve got to go. Nice talking to you. Bye!

Уже поздно, мне нужно идти. Было приятно поговорить с вами. Пока!

Nice talking to you, too. Give me a call sometime.

Мне тоже было приятно поговорить с вами. Позвоните мне как-нибудь.

Example 4

Пример 4

Oh, it’s almost two o’clock! I’ve got to run. Say hello to your family for me.

Уже почти два часа! Мне надо бежать. Передавайте привет вашей семье от меня.

Thank you, I will. Have a nice weekend.

Спасибо, передам. Желаю приятных выходных.

Thanks, the same to you.

Спасибо, вам того же.

Bye-bye!

Пока!

See you!

Увидимся!

Example 5

Пример 5

Well, it was good seeing you again. Take care now. Keep in touch.

Что ж, было приятно снова увидеться с вами. Всего хорошего. Давайте о себе знать.

I enjoyed seeing you, too. Good-bye!

Я тоже был рад увидеться с вами. До свидания!

Example 6

Пример 6

Well, I really must be going. I’m leaving tomorrow, but I’ll be back next week. So long!

Ну, я действительно должен идти. Я уезжаю завтра, но вернусь на следующей неделе. Пока!

So long, Mike! Have a good trip. See you next week!

Пока, Майк! Желаю приятной поездки. Увидимся на следующей неделе!

Note: Difference in meaning

Примечание: Разница в значении

It was nice seeing you! / Nice seeing you!

Было приятно увидеться с вами!

It was nice meeting you! / Nice meeting you!

Было приятно познакомиться с вами!

Note the shift of stress in responses: (1) It was nice seeing you! – It was nice seeing you! (2) Nice meeting you! – It was nice meeting you!

Обратите внимание на смещение ударения в откликах: (1) It was nice seeing you! – It was nice seeing you! (2) Nice meeting you! – It was nice meeting you!

Note: Responses

Примечание: Отклики

The reply «The same to you» (or «You too») expresses the same wish. The reply «Same here» expresses the same attitude.

Ответ «The same to you» (или «You too») выражает одинаковое пожелание. Ответ «Same here» выражает одинаковое отношение.

Have a nice weekend! – Thank you, the same to you. / Thanks, you too.

Хорошо проведите выходные! – Спасибо, вам того же. / Спасибо, вы тоже.

Nice talking to you. – Nice talking to you, too. / Same here.

Было приятно поговорить с вами. – Мне тоже было приятно поговорить с вами. / Мне тоже.

Other useful phrases

Другие полезные фразы

There are many other phrases that may be used in various situations when saying good-bye. For example:

Есть много других фраз, которые могут употребляться в различных ситуациях при прощании. Например:

Well, don’t let me detain you.

Ну, не буду вас задерживать.

I’ve taken too much of your time already.

Я и так отнял у вас слишком много времени.

Sorry to have kept you so long.

Извините, что задержал вас так надолго.

Oh, I can’t believe how late it is!

Поверить не могу, что уже так поздно!

Thank you for a great party.

Спасибо за прекрасную вечеринку.

Thank you for inviting me.

Спасибо, что пригласили меня.

Thank you for coming.

Спасибо, что пришли.

I wish you didn’t have to leave so early.

Жаль, что вы так рано уходите.

Can’t you stay a little longer?

Не могли бы вы ещё немного побыть?

It’s still early! Please don’t go!

Ещё рано! Пожалуйста, не уходите!

I wish I could, but I really can’t.

Хотелось бы, но не могу.

We should get together again soon.

Нам надо скоро снова собраться вместе.

Let’s have dinner together sometime.

Давайте пообедаем вместе как-нибудь.

Don’t forget to call me once in a while.

Не забывайте звонить мне иногда.

Don’t forget to write me.

Не забывайте писать мне.

Don’t forget to keep in touch.

Не забывайте сообщать о себе.

We are really going to miss you.

Мы будем очень скучать по вам.

Have a nice/good day (evening; holiday; vacation).

Желаю приятного/хорошего дня (вечера; праздника; отпуска).

Thanks, the same to you.

Спасибо, вам того же.

Give my best regards to your family (your parents; your sister).

Передайте мой поклон (почтение, привет) вашей семье (вашим родителям; вашей сестре).

Give my best to your family.

Передайте вашей семье привет от меня.

Take care of yourself.

Заботьтесь о себе.

Drive carefully.

Ведите машину внимательно / осторожно.

I’d like to say good-bye to everyone.

Я хотел бы попрощаться со всеми.

See you tomorrow.

Увидимся завтра. / До завтра.

See you on Monday.

Увидимся в понедельник. / До понедельника.

I’ll be seeing you.

Увидимся. До скорой встречи.

You’re about to learn 20 new words for goodbye in English. Also check out 27 Different Ways to Say Thank You (And How to Reply).

What’s wrong with this conversation?

SONIA: Goodbye, Eric.
ERIC: Goodbye, Sonia.
SONIA: Goodbye, Yasemin.
YASEMIN: Goodbye, Sonia.
SONIA: Goodbye, Ranjit.
RANJIT: Goodbye, Sonia.

No one in this conversation seems to know that there are lots of different ways to say goodbye in English.

I mean LOTS of ways!

Well, at least 19.

But first …

How to end a conversation in English

OK. It’s very useful to know how to say goodbye in English.

But how do you fit it into a conversation?

I mean, can you just drop a “bye bomb” in the middle of a conversation?

I don’t think so. That would be pretty rude, right?

I’ve noticed that we usually have what I call “pre-byes” — phrases we use to show that we’re about to leave the conversation.

We use them just before saying goodbye.

Here’s how they look:

Signal word	Pre-bye
OK …	Nice talking with you.
Right …	I’ve gotta go / run / split!
So …	I’m off!
All right, then …	Great to see you.

Then we can say goodbye …

There are fun ways to say goodbye.

And there are more standard ways to say goodbye.

Just like dessert, I like to save the fun things for last.

So here are some standard ways to say goodbye in English.

Bye!

It’s like “goodbye” but shorter!

It’s efficient and sounds good.

Bye bye!

Is “bye” just too … short?

Well, why not just say it twice?

But three times?

No. That would be mad.

Be careful with this one!

It’s often used with kids if you pronounce both words equally.

If you use it with adults, remember to only stress the second “bye” so that it sounds more like “bu-BYE.”

Until tomorrow

OK. Obviously, you only say this if you’re going to see the other person tomorrow.

If you say this to someone you’re never going to see again, like an air stewardess or a taxi driver, then that might be a bit confusing.

If you say it to your favourite actor when you meet him at a book signing, then that would even be creepy.

The good news is that you can change “tomorrow” for whenever it is you’re going to see them again.

So you can say “until next week” or “until Friday” or even “until later.”

Take care

This one’s nice — it shows you care but isn’t too informal or close.

We also often mix this with one of the other words on this list.

So we might say something like, “Bye. Take care!”

Good night!

OK, a couple of things here.

This is, obviously, only used late in the evening. You know, at night.

It’s also the only “good” + time of day structure that also means “goodbye.”

“Good morning” and “good afternoon” just mean “hello.”

More creative and fun ways to say goodbye

OK. Time for dessert!

When you’re with your friends, you might want to use some of these more fun ways of saying goodbye.

See you later

I like this one.

It kind of means “Don’t worry — this isn’t the end! We’ll meet again!”

When I was a kid we would also say, “See you later, alligator.”

Sometimes, we’d even get the reply, “in a while, crocodile.”

Oh, how we laughed.

We can also say, “see you soon” or “see you tonight” or “see you on the 14th” or “see you after work” or … well, you get the idea.

See ya!

It’s short for “see you later.”

Sometimes we’d extend this with “See ya! Wouldn’t wanna be ya!”

Because people who like each other sometimes like showing that they like each other by saying bad things to each other.

Why?

I don’t know. Humans are weird.

Laters

This is very casual.

It’s got a friendly, light-hearted feeling to it.

Some people also like just saying “later.”

Catch ya later

OK — so “see you later” is getting boring?

Change the verb!

Take it easy!

And why not?

Easy is good, right?

Have a good one!

This one’s rather British and is one that I use quite a lot.

I like it because it sort of means “enjoy yourself.”

You can also say, “Have a good day,” “Have a good evening,” “Have a good flight,” “Have a good holiday,” “Have a good afternoon,” and so on.

Ciao (for now)

OK. Not technically English.

“Ciao” is Italian and can be used to mean either “hi” or “bye.”

It rhymes with “now.”

It’s quite funny to mix the Italian and the English like this, right?

So we do.

Adios

Yep — this one definitely isn’t English.

But it kind of is because more and more people are using it to mean “goodbye.”

Maybe one day all the languages in the world will come together and become one massive mega-language.

But probably not.

Cheerio

OK. This one is very, very British and a little old fashioned.

But because it’s quite old fashioned, when we use it, we lighten the mood.

It gives us a sense of nostalgia and feels quite ironic.

It’s fun!

---

OK. That’s it — 20 ways to say goodbye in English.

Which words for goodbye are your favourites?

Why?

Let me know in the comments.

But for now, I’m saying “cheerio.”

Cheerio.

There are only two forms of farewell: “Good-by” and “Good night.” Never say “Au revoir” unless you have been talking French, or are speaking to a French person. Never interlard your conversation with foreign words or phrases when you can possibly translate them into English; and the occasions when our mother tongue will not serve are extremely rare.

From: Chapter III. ‘Greetings’ in Etiquette By Emily Post. 1922

Wiktionary tells us that the hyphenated variant, good-by, and the solid compound, goodby, are dated which everyone will agree. It also offers a more comprehensive list of variants that might be of interest to some.

Godby, Godby’e, Godbwye, God b’w’y, God bwy yee, God buy you, God be wi’ you [“God be with ye”] each a progressively shorter contraction of God be with you.

Variants Between 1400 and 1700

Gid be with you (1400-1499)
God be with thee (1400-1499)
God be with you (1500-1700)
God be with yee; God bwy ye; God bwy; (1576-1600)
God be with ye (1576-1650)
God b’wee; God b’wy; God b’w’you; God b’wi’you (1601- 1625)
God buy ye; God buy you; (1601-1625)
God buy (1601-1650)
God be w’you (1626-1650)
God-buy (1651-1675)
God by ye; God-buy (1651-1675)
God bi wi’you (1651-1675)
God b’w’y’ (1676-1700)
Godbuy (1676-1700)

The above is but a clumsy sample, I recommend visitors and enthusiasts to visit the complete table in the link below. According to the author, who painstakingly traced the lexical history of goodbye, the term Good (it remained capitalised) first appeared in 1676-1700 in the forms of:

Good b’w’y, Good b’we; Good b’wy to ye; Good b’uy to you; Good by t’ye;
Good by t’yee; Good-by

Source: p99; Diachronic Pragmatics: Seven case studies in English
illocutionary development By Leslie K. Arnovick