farvel
/fɑːˈvɛl/
In Danish, "bye bye" is expressed as farvel.
farvel is a common way to say goodbye in Danish.
Which one should you use?
While farvel is the standard dictionary term for goodbye, the phrase hej hej is more common in casual, everyday situations to say "bye bye". Additionally, farvel is more formal and definitive than the English "bye bye", often implying a more permanent or serious departure.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɑːˈvɛl/
When do people say it?
Danes have several ways to say goodbye depending on the context: hej hej is used for a casual "bye bye", ses is a short, informal "bye" and vi ses is a slightly less formal farewell. If you want to say "see you tomorrow" informally, you can say vi ses i morgen. You can also use pas på dig selv as an informal way to say "bye", which means "take care of yourself".
Did you know?
- Because hej means 'hello', a person walking into a room and then leaving it shortly after might technically say 'hello hello' and 'bye bye' using the exact same phrase.
- The word farvel literally tells the person to 'fare well' as they leave. It shares the same root as the English word 'farewell', which is rarely used in modern conversation.
- Danes often say hej hej rapidly, making the two words blend into a single rhythmic sound that functions as a verbal wave.
Examples in context
- Farvel, vi ses i morgen.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
- Sig farvel til din tante.Say goodbye to your aunt.
- Han sagde farvel og gik sin vej.He said goodbye and went on his way.
Example conversation
Freja and Mads are parting ways after a coffee date.
- FrejaDet var hyggeligt at se dig, Mads.It was nice to see you, Mads.
- MadsJa, det var det. Farvel, Freja.Yes, it was. Goodbye, Freja.
- FrejaFarvel, vi ses snart igen.Goodbye, see you again soon.
- MadsVi ses!See you!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry farvel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries farvel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
