Informal Goodbyes for Close Friends
For friends and casual settings, many languages offer an informal way to say goodbye:
- Italian: “Ciao” – Italian friends use this for both hello and goodbye
- Spanish: “Hasta la vista” or “Nos vemos” (“See you soon”) – Common ways to say goodbye with friends
- French: “Salut” – French speakers use this informal way for both hello and goodbye
- Portuguese: “Tchau” – Informal Portuguese goodbye between friends
Asian Languages
Many Asian languages have formal and informal ways to say goodbye:
- Japanese: “Sayonara” (さようなら) or “Sai oh nar ah” (formal)
- Japanese: “Ja ne” (informal Japanese goodbye)
- Korean: “Annyeonghi gaseyo” (안녕히 가세요) (formal) or “An-nyeong” (안녕) (informal way of saying goodbye, pronounced “Ah yeu”)
- Mandarin Chinese: “Zàijiàn” (再见) or “Joi gin” (Cantonese)
- Malay: “Selamat tinggal” (formal Malay farewell) or “Selamat jalan” (for someone leaving)
- Hindi (official language of India): “Namaste” or “Alvida” (Hindi goodbye)
- Tagalog: “Paalam na” (formal Filipino/Tagalog goodbye)
![Women in bright floral dresses serve tea to visitors sitting on a mat outside a traditional house.]()
Slavic Languages
Slavic languages have distinctive ways to bid farewell:
- Russian: “Do svidaniya” (До свидания) or “Do sve dan ya” (formal Russian goodbye)
- Czech: “Na shledanou” (pronounced “Na shle-dah-noh” or “Doh vee jen ya”)
- Slovak: “Dovidenia” (pronounced “Doh-vee-deh-nyah” or “Nas vee dan yeh”)
- Other Slavic: Many use variations with “deh oosh” or “chan ya” sounds in their farewells
Germanic Languages
Germanic languages offer both formal and casual ways to say goodbye:
- German: “Auf Wiedersehen” (formal German goodbye, pronounced “Owf vee der zayn”)
- German: “Tschüss” (informal German “bye”)
- Dutch: “Tot ziens” (formal Dutch farewell)
- Swedish: “Vi ses” (informal Swedish “see you”) or “Farväl” (more formal, similar to “far vel”)
- Norwegian: “Ha det” (casual Norwegian “ha day”) or “Far vel” (more formal “fa vel”)
Other European Languages
Other European languages have their own unique ways to say goodbye:
- Greek: “Αντίο” (Antío) or “Γεια σου” (Yia sou) (informal Greek goodbye)
- Romanian: “La revedere” (formal Romanian farewell)
![Two women, one in a blue hijab and the other with henna on her hand, laugh together in front of a grand mosque at dusk. greetings in different langauges]()
Evening Goodbyes
In many languages, you can also say “good night” as a way to say goodbye in the evening:
- English: “Good night”
- Spanish: “Buenas noches”
- French: “Bonne nuit”
- Italian: “Buona notte”
- German: “Gute Nacht”
American Sign Language (ASL) Greetings
When communicating in American Sign Language, these are the basic greeting gestures:
- Hello: With a flat hand, move your hand away from your forehead in a small arc
- Goodbye: With a flat hand, wave your hand side to side
- Please: With a flat hand, move your hand in a circular motion across your chest
- Thank you: With a flat hand, start with your hand near your lips and move it forward away from your face
Languages Where Hello and Goodbye Are the Same or Similar
In these languages, one word serves both purposes in conversation
Sometimes expressions can mean both hello and goodbye. However, context is crucial! For example, in South Korea, “Annyeong” is often used amongst friends to mean both hello and goodbye, but using this abbreviated form with elders can be considered disrespectful.
Here are countries that have a single word to express both hello and goodbye:
- Austria: Austrian German – “Servus”
- Italy: Italian – “Ciao”
- France: French – “Salut”
- Hawaii: Hawaiian – “Aloha”
- South Korea: Korean – “Annyeong” (informal)
- Estonia: Estonian – “Tere”
- Finland: Finnish – “Hei”
- Catalonia: Catalan – “Hola”
- Galicia: Galician – “Ola”
- Luxembourg: Luxembourgish – “Moien”
- Malta: Maltese – “Ħelow”
- New Zealand: Maori – “Kia ora”
- Samoa: Samoan – “Talofa”
- Swahili: Swahili – “Jambo”
- Tahiti: Tahitian – “Ia ora na”
- Tonga: Tongan – “Mālō”
- Vanuatu: Bislama – “Halo”
- Wales: Welsh – “Helo”
How to Say Please in Different Languages
Saying “please” in different languages is a universal courtesy that conveys politeness and respect:
- English: “Please”
- Spanish: “Por favor” (used in 20 Spanish-speaking countries)
- French: “S’il vous plaît” (formal) or “S’il te plaît” (informal)
- German: “Bitte”
- Italian: “Per favore” or “Per piacere”
- Mandarin Chinese: “Qǐng” (请)
- Japanese: “Onegai shimasu” (お願いします)
- Korean: “Juseyo” (주세요)
- Arabic: “Min fadlak” (masculine) or “Min fadliki” (feminine)
- Russian: “Pozhaluysta” (Пожалуйста)
Practical Tips for Respectful Travel
- Learn Cultural Context: Always understand the cultural weight of a phrase. For instance, in South Korea, “Annyeong” is casual and should not be used with elders.
- Practice Local Customs: Pair your words with appropriate gestures, such as bowing in Japan when saying “Konnichiwa.”
- Be Prepared: Download apps or create a cheat sheet with key phrases for your destination.
- Learn Proper Naming Conventions: In many cultures, how you address someone is as important as the greeting itself:
- Japan: Add “san” to someone’s name (e.g., “Tanaka-san”)
- South Korea: Add “nim” to show respect (e.g., “Jisoonim”)
- Thailand: Use “Khun” for people around your age, “P'” for those older
- Morocco: Use “Mr.” or “Ms.” before first names
- Understand Age Hierarchies: In many Asian cultures like Cambodia, you’ll use different forms of address depending on whether someone is older or younger than you.
- Learn Regional Variations: Even within a country, greetings may differ by region or context.
![A digital illustration of a young man in a denim jacket pressing his hands together in a respectful greeting. greetings in different languages]()
Global Language Facts
- According to Ethnologue, there are over 7,000 different languages spoken globally.
- Papua New Guinea has the largest number of languages, with 840 established languages.
- Indonesia has 707, Nigeria 517, India 447, and China 302 languages.
- The United States comes in at number 9, with 219 spoken languages in the country.
- The top 5 official languages in the world are: English (58 countries), French (30), Arabic (25), Spanish (20), and Portuguese (9).
