Au revoir is the safe default, but French has a dozen ways to say goodbye depending on context, formality, and when you'll see the person again. Here's the full list with the rule for each one.
The essentials
These four cover 90% of real situations.
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| au revoir | goodbye | Neutral and always safe. Pronounced 'oh ruh-vwar'. |
| salut | bye (informal) | Also means 'hi'. Friends and family only — never to strangers or in shops. |
| à bientôt | see you soon | Use when you expect to see the person again fairly soon. |
| bonne journée | have a good day | Said when leaving in the morning or daytime — shops, cafés, coworkers. |
By time of day
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| bonne soirée | have a good evening | Replaces bonne journée after about 6 PM. |
| bonne nuit | good night | Only when someone is going to bed — not on leaving a dinner. |
| bon week-end | have a good weekend | Friday afternoon standard. |
| bonnes vacances | have a good holiday | Before someone leaves on vacation. |
When you'll see them again
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| à tout à l'heure | see you later (today) | Within the same day. |
| à plus tard | see you later | Vague — later today or this week. |
| à plus | see ya | Informal short form of à plus tard. Texts and friends. |
| à demain | see you tomorrow | |
| à lundi | see you Monday | Pattern: à + any weekday. |
| à la prochaine | until next time | When you don't know exactly when. |
More formal or final
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| adieu | farewell | Literally 'to God'. Used only when you don't expect to see the person again — rare and dramatic. |
| je vous laisse | I'll let you go | Polite way to end a conversation in person or on the phone. |
| bonne continuation | all the best (going forward) | When wishing someone well in a project or new chapter. |
| prenez soin de vous | take care of yourself | Formal. 'Prends soin de toi' for friends. |
Casual and slang
| French | English | Note |
|---|
| ciao | ciao / bye | Borrowed from Italian, very common among young people. |
| tchao | bye | French spelling of ciao, same usage. |
| à+ | later | Texting abbreviation of à plus. |
| bye | bye | English 'bye' is widely used in informal French too. |
Tips to memorize this list faster
- Default to 'au revoir' with anyone you don't know — shopkeepers, waiters, strangers. 'Salut' to a stranger sounds rude.
- Always pair the goodbye with a 'bonne journée' or 'bonne soirée' in shops and cafés. Leaving without one feels cold to French speakers.
- 'Adieu' is not the normal word for goodbye despite what old textbooks say. Use 'au revoir' instead.
- On the phone, French people often say 'je vous laisse' before 'au revoir' to signal the call is ending.