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Knowing a few German farewells helps you end a conversation naturally. Choose one that fits the relationship, the setting and whether you expect to meet again soon.
Der Abschied means “farewell” or “parting.” Sich verabschieden means “to say goodbye”: Wir verabschieden uns. — We’re saying goodbye.
Everyday and informal farewells
1. Tschüss — Bye
Tschüss! is a common everyday farewell. It is informal, although it also fits many relaxed service and workplace encounters. In a clearly formal situation, Auf Wiedersehen is a safe choice.
The standard spellings are tschüss and tschüs; the old spelling Tschüß should not be taught as the current default. Tschüssi! is playful and familiar, so use it when that tone fits the people you are with.
2. Gute Nacht — Good night
Gute Nacht! is a farewell when someone is going to bed or ending the evening. It is not a less formal version of Guten Abend: Guten Abend! is usually a greeting on arrival, while Gute Nacht! marks parting before sleep.
It works with both informal and formal address: Gute Nacht, schlaf gut! — Good night, sleep well! (du), or Gute Nacht, schlafen Sie gut! (Sie).
3. Bis später — See you later
Bis später! suggests seeing the person later, often the same day. Keep the umlaut and write lowercase später.
Bis dann! means “See you then!” and Bis bald! means “See you soon!” For a specific time, say Bis morgen! — See you tomorrow, or Bis Dienstag! — See you on Tuesday. Morgen is lowercase when it means “tomorrow”; weekday names are nouns and are capitalized.
4. Wir sehen uns — See you
Wir sehen uns! is a friendly farewell without a precise time. Literally, it means “We’ll see each other.” If you have agreed on a meeting, say Wir sehen uns dann. — We’ll see each other then.
Bis zum nächsten Mal! means “Until next time!” It is useful with someone you expect to see again.
5. Wir sprechen uns bald / später — Talk to you soon / later
Wir sprechen uns bald. means “We’ll talk soon.” Wir sprechen uns später. means “We’ll talk later.” These fit phone or online conversations when you expect to speak again. You can also simply say Bis später!
6. Schönen Tag noch — Have a nice day
Schönen Tag noch! wishes someone an enjoyable rest of the day. It is friendly and works in both casual and polite encounters. Tag! by itself is generally a greeting, so it should not be taught as a shortened farewell here.
Other useful wishes include Schönes Wochenende! — Have a nice weekend, Schönen Urlaub! — Have a nice vacation, and Schöne Ferien! — Enjoy your school holidays/break. Urlaub commonly refers to leave from work or a vacation; Ferien refers to scheduled breaks such as school holidays.
Reply Danke, gleichfalls! — Thanks, you too! This works without choosing du or Sie. With informal address, Dir auch! is suitable; with formal address, say Ihnen auch!
7. Viel Spaß — Have fun
Viel Spaß! is a friendly wish when someone is about to do something enjoyable. It can accompany a farewell: Tschüss, viel Spaß beim Konzert! — Bye, have fun at the concert!
8. Ciao — Bye
The Italian borrowing Ciao!, also written Tschau!, is used as an informal farewell in German. You do not need to be in a particular big city to hear it. In German conversation, its usual role is goodbye, even though Italian ciao can also mean hello.
Polite, regional and marked farewells
9. Auf Wiedersehen — Goodbye
Auf Wiedersehen! is a standard polite farewell in person. Literally it points to seeing each other again, not hearing each other. It is a normal choice at a formal meeting or service desk and should not be dismissed as merely old-fashioned.
For a formal phone call, the traditional equivalent is Auf Wiederhören! — until we hear each other again. This distinction helps you choose the right expression for the setting.
10. Auf Wiederschauen — Goodbye (regional)
Auf Wiederschauen! is a regional alternative associated especially with Austria and parts of southern Germany. It means much the same as Auf Wiedersehen. You may also hear short Wiederschauen!
11. Lebewohl — Farewell
Lebewohl! sounds solemn, literary or emotionally final. It is not simply the most formal everyday goodbye. It can suggest a long or permanent separation, so it may sound dramatic when leaving a routine meeting.
For someone departing on a trip, Gute Reise! — Have a good journey! is a useful wish, regardless of whether the trip is short. The noun das Lebewohl means “farewell.” Wir haben uns heute verabschiedet. means “We said goodbye today.”
Useful complete closing sentences
| Informal (du) | Formal (Sie) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Es war schön, dich kennenzulernen. | Es war schön, Sie kennenzulernen. | It was nice meeting you. |
| Es hat mich gefreut, dich kennenzulernen. | Es hat mich gefreut, Sie kennenzulernen. | It was a pleasure meeting you. |
| Es war schön, wieder mit dir zu sprechen. | Es war schön, wieder mit Ihnen zu sprechen. | It was nice talking to you again. |
| Mach’s gut! | Machen Sie’s gut! | Take care! (The du form is especially familiar.) |
Hoffentlich treffen wir uns wieder. means “Hopefully we’ll meet again.” Use the complete sentence you need; fragments such as nett, dich do not form a farewell on their own.
Practice choosing a farewell
What could you say when ending a formal phone call, leaving a friend until tomorrow, or wishing a traveler a pleasant trip?
See possible answers
Auf Wiederhören! / Bis morgen! / Gute Reise! More than one phrase can work in a real conversation; the key is its meaning and register.
Start with a few dependable choices and add others as you hear them. For greetings on arrival, see how to say hello in German.
