adeus
/aˈdews/
The Portuguese phrase for 'au revoir' is adeus.
Meaning: Translations (intj)
Which one should you use?
You can use Até breve or the formal Até logo to say 'see you soon'. The informal Até já can be used for 'see you later'. To express a wish for someone's well-being, you can use the informal Fica bem, which means 'take care'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the informal expression tchau is more commonly used than até breve. The word tchau is an informal expression used in both Portugal and Brazil.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈdews/
Did you know?
- While 'au revoir' in French implies a certain expectation of seeing someone again, the Portuguese adeus can feel much more permanent. In many contexts, using adeus instead of tchau can imply a finality, as if you might never see the person again.
- The word adeus literally translates to 'to God'. It originated from the Medieval Latin phrase 'ad Deum', making it a deeply religious parting formula that has evolved into a common secular farewell.
- The word tchau is not native to Portuguese but is a loanword from the Italian ciao.
Examples in context
- Obrigado pelo seu tempo. Até breve!Thank you for your time. See you soon!
- Vamos almoçar juntos novamente amanhã. Até já!Let's have lunch together again tomorrow. See you later!
- Adeus, meu querido amigo.Goodbye, my dear friend.
- Diga adeus à sua família por mim.Say goodbye to your family for me.
- Eu disse adeus e saí da sala.I said goodbye and left the room.
Example conversation
Beatriz and Felipe are parting ways at a train station.
- BeatrizFoi bom te ver, Felipe.It was good to see you, Felipe.
- FelipeTambém, Beatriz. Adeus!Me too, Beatriz. Goodbye!
- BeatrizTenha uma boa viagem.Have a good trip.
- FelipeObrigado, até a próxima.Thank you, until next time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry adeus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adeus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
