Au revoir is the classic way to say goodbye in French, and it's perfectly good for most situations. But what if you want to sound more natural, express a different nuance, or simply mix things up? Just like in English, there are many ways to bid farewell in French, depending on who you're talking to and the context. Whether you're leaving a casual gathering, saying au revoir to a close friend, or needing a more formal exit, knowing a variety of expressions will make your French sound much more authentic. Let's explore 9 different ways to say "goodbye" in French, so you can choose the perfect phrase for any occasion!

The standard 'goodbye' – Au revoir

Au revoir is the most common and versatile way to say “goodbye” in French.

Literally, au revoir translates to “until we see again” or “to the seeing again.” This implies a future encounter, making it a polite and hopeful farewell.

This phrase is universally applicable, suitable for both formal and informal situations, and with people you know well or just met.

Pronounced oh ruh-vwahr, it rolls off the tongue smoothly and is easily recognizable by most French speakers.

While French offers many ways to say goodbye, au revoir remains the standard and safest choice if you’re unsure which farewell to use.

When leaving a store, a restaurant, or a public place, simply saying Au revoir to the staff is polite and appropriate.

You can also use it when parting ways with friends, family, or colleagues, though more informal options exist (like Salut or À bientôt).

The underlying meaning of "until we see again" makes Au revoir a gentle and friendly way to end an interaction, suggesting a positive future encounter.

💡 * Au revoir, monsieur. Bonne journée! (Goodbye, sir. Have a good day!)

On se dit au revoir et à la semaine prochaine. (We'll say goodbye and see you next week.)

Elle a dit au revoir à tous ses amis avant de partir. (She said goodbye to all her friends before leaving.)

N'oubliez pas de dire au revoir en partant. (Don't forget to say goodbye when leaving.)

C'était un plaisir de vous voir, au revoir! (It was a pleasure to see you, goodbye!)

The informal 'bye' (also 'hello') – Salut

One of the most versatile and common French words you'll encounter is Salut.

As a greeting, Salut translates to an informal 'Hi' or 'Hello.' It's perfect for friends, family, or people your own age you know well.

Equally, Salut is used to say an informal 'Bye' or 'See ya.' It's often heard when parting ways with people you'd greet with Salut.

The key takeaway for Salut is its informality. Avoid using it in professional settings or with strangers, where more formal options like Bonjour or Au revoir are appropriate.

Pronounced 'sah-loo,' it's a quick and easy word to master and instantly makes your French sound more natural in casual conversations.

Its simplicity and versatility make Salut a cornerstone of casual French conversation, allowing you to seamlessly transition between greeting and farewell.

💡 *Salut, comment ça va? (Hi, how's it going?)*On se voit demain, salut! (See you tomorrow, bye!)*Salut les amis! (Hi friends!)*Je dois y aller, salut! (I have to go, bye!)*Salut Pierre, ça fait longtemps! (Hi Pierre, long time no see!)

The formal or definitive 'farewell' – Adieu

Adieu is a French word that means 'farewell' or 'goodbye'.

Unlike au revoir, which implies 'until we meet again', adieu carries a much stronger sense of finality, often suggesting a permanent parting or a very long absence.

Literally translating to 'to God' (à Dieu), its origin reflects a time when a goodbye might be the last, entrusting the departed to a divine power.

In modern French, adieu is used sparingly. It's typically reserved for situations where you genuinely don't expect to see the person again, or for a highly dramatic, formal, or emotionally charged farewell.

For everyday goodbyes, au revoir (until we see each other again) is almost always preferred. Using adieu in casual contexts can sound overly dramatic or even rude, implying you wish not to see the person again.

💡 * Il a dit adieu à sa famille avant de partir pour toujours. (He said farewell to his family before leaving forever.)

C'était un adieu déchirant. (It was a heartbreaking farewell.)

Elle lui fit un dernier adieu. (She gave him a final farewell.)

Le vieux capitaine fit ses adieux à la mer. (The old captain bid his farewells to the sea.)

The 'see you soon' – À bientôt

The widely used French phrase À bientôt directly translates to "See you soon." It's one of the most common ways to say goodbye in French when you expect to meet again.

This common parting phrase is used when you anticipate seeing the person again relatively soon, but without a specific date or time necessarily set. It conveys a friendly, hopeful, and less definitive tone than a simple "goodbye."

Unlike the more general Au revoir ("Goodbye"), which can imply a longer or indefinite separation, À bientôt specifically suggests an upcoming reunion, often in the near future. It implies a continuation of the relationship.

💡 * Je dois partir maintenant, à bientôt! (I have to leave now, see you soon!)

C'était un plaisir de te voir, à bientôt! (It was a pleasure to see you, see you soon!)

On se revoit la semaine prochaine, à bientôt! (We'll see each other next week, see you soon!)

Passe une bonne journée, à bientôt! (Have a good day, see you soon!)

The 'see you later today' – À tout à l'heure

The 'see you later today' – À tout à l'heure

À tout à l'heure is a common French phrase that directly translates to 'see you later' or 'until later'.

Crucially, it is used when you expect to see or speak to someone again on the same day. Think of it as 'see you later today'.

It differs from À bientôt ('see you soon'), which implies an unspecified future meeting, potentially days or weeks away. À tout à l'heure is strictly for same-day encounters.

This phrase is versatile and can be used in both informal and formal contexts, making it a staple in daily French conversation, whether with friends, colleagues, or acquaintances.

So, if you're parting ways with someone but know you'll cross paths again before the day ends, À tout à l'heure is the perfect phrase to use.

💡 * Je te vois à tout à l'heure au café. (I'll see you later today at the café.)

On se reparle à tout à l'heure pour le projet. (We'll talk again later today about the project.)

À tout à l'heure, bonne journée ! (See you later today, have a good day!)

N'oubliez pas, réunion à 15h. À tout à l'heure ! (Don't forget, meeting at 3 PM. See you later today!)

The 'see you tomorrow' – À demain

The "see you tomorrow" – À demain

The most common and straightforward way to say "see you tomorrow" in French is À demain. It's a versatile phrase used in almost any context, whether you're speaking to a friend, colleague, or someone you've just met.

This simple phrase literally translates to "until tomorrow". À means "to" or "until", and demain means "tomorrow". Together, they form a polite and natural way to express that you'll meet or speak again the following day.

À demain is widely applicable and considered polite in both formal and informal settings. You can use it when leaving work, school, a social gathering, or even after a phone call, provided you expect to interact with the person again the next day.

While French has many ways to say goodbye, like Au revoir (goodbye), À bientôt (see you soon), or À tout à l'heure (see you later today), À demain specifically indicates a meeting or interaction scheduled for the next day. It's precise and leaves no room for ambiguity about the timing.

💡 *D'accord, je te vois demain. À demain !
*Bonne soirée, Madame Dubois. À demain matin.
*On continue le projet à 9h. À demain, Paul !
*Je dois y aller. À demain !
*Tu viens à la réunion ? Oui, à demain.

The 'have a good day' – Bonne journée

The 'have a good day' – Bonne journée

Bonne journée is the common French expression used to wish someone a good day. It's typically said when you are leaving someone, rather than when you first greet them.

While bonjour means 'hello' and can be used at any time of day, bonne journée is specifically a farewell phrase, wishing the person the remainder of their day to be good. It's the equivalent of saying 'have a good day' or 'have a nice day' in English.

💡 * Au revoir! Bonne journée! (Goodbye! Have a good day!)

Je dois y aller maintenant. Bonne journée à tous! (I have to go now. Have a good day everyone!)

Merci pour votre aide, bonne journée! (Thank you for your help, have a good day!)

On se voit demain, bonne journée! (See you tomorrow, have a good day!)

The 'have a good evening' – Bonne soirée

The phrase “have a good evening” in French is Bonne soirée.

Literally translating to “good evening,” Bonne soirée is a common and polite way to wish someone a pleasant evening. It’s typically used as a farewell when parting ways in the evening or when someone is about to start their evening activities.

Unlike Bonjour (which can mean good morning/afternoon and hello/goodbye), Bonne soirée is almost exclusively a parting phrase or a wish for the remainder of someone's evening. You would use it when leaving a gathering, a shop, or a colleague at the end of the workday, wishing them a good time for the rest of their evening.

It's important to distinguish Bonne soirée from Bonne nuit. While both relate to the evening, Bonne soirée is for wishing someone a good active evening (e.g., going out, having dinner), whereas Bonne nuit is specifically for wishing someone a good sleep before they go to bed.

💡 *Au revoir, et bonne soirée! (Goodbye, and have a good evening!)
*Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée. (I wish you a good evening.)
*Passez une bonne soirée! (Have a good evening! - informal)
*On se voit demain, bonne soirée! (See you tomorrow, have a good evening!)
*Merci pour le dîner, bonne soirée à tous! (Thanks for dinner, good evening everyone!)

The borrowed informal 'bye' – Ciao

While au revoir is the classic French way to say goodbye, you'll often hear the borrowed Italian word ciao used, especially in informal settings. This versatile word, originating from Italian, has found a comfortable place in French casual conversation as a way to say 'bye'.

Ciao is strictly an informal goodbye. You would use it among friends, family, or people you know well. It's similar to saying 'bye' or 'see ya' in English, rather than the more formal 'goodbye'.

Unlike many French adjectives and nouns, ciao is invariable. It doesn't change its form based on the gender or number of the people you're speaking to or about. It's always just ciao.

The key difference between ciao and au revoir lies in formality. While au revoir is appropriate in almost any situation, from formal business meetings to casual encounters, ciao is reserved for close relationships. Using ciao with a stranger or in a formal setting might be considered impolite.

It's worth noting that in its original Italian, ciao can mean both 'hello' and 'goodbye.' However, when borrowed into French, its usage is almost exclusively for saying 'goodbye.' Don't use it to greet someone in French unless you want to confuse them!

💡 * On se voit demain, ciao! (See you tomorrow, bye!)

Je dois y aller, ciao les amis! (I have to go, bye friends!)

Ciao, à plus tard! (Bye, see you later!)

C'était super, ciao! (That was great, bye!)

Are there other ways to say 'goodbye' in French?

Are there other ways to say "goodbye" in French?

Our list has covered the most common ways to say "goodbye" in French. But the French language is rich with regional variations, old-fashioned expressions, and contemporary slang that adds even more flavor to farewells!

To discover more, you can do an online search for "comment dire au revoir en ___", followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might discover interesting farewells and their contexts. Of course, always make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to say goodbye, often reflecting cultural nuances.

And if you’re looking for more nuances, regionalisms, or slang for saying goodbye in French, the WordReference entry for au revoir or adieu is a great place to start your exploration!

I hope you found this article helpful in navigating French farewells. Here’s a comforting phrase to finish with: Ce n'est qu'un au revoir. (It's only goodbye for now.)

9 ways to say "goodbye" in French