bis später
/bɪs ˈʃpɛːtɐ/word by word
The German phrase for "bye for now" is bis später.
bis später is a casual way to say goodbye when you expect to see the person again soon, translating to "see you later".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bis später literally translates to "until later".
Which one should you use?
bis später is used when you expect to see someone later today, whereas bis dann is used when a specific time or event for the next meeting has already been established.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bis später is an informal way to say goodbye, suitable for friends, family or colleagues you are on a first-name basis with. In contrast, Schönen Tag noch ("have a nice day") is a polite farewell used in professional settings and Auf Wiederhören is a formal way to say goodbye specifically on the phone or during conversations where you won't physically meet the person again.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɪs ˈʃpɛːtɐ/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, a person might replace bis später with Tschüssi, an ultra-informal and cutesy version of 'bye'.
- In many German regions, bis später is accompanied by a casual wave or a brief nod, but hugging while saying it is generally reserved for very close friends or partners.
- The word bis is an etymological relative of the English preposition 'up to', both evolving from older Germanic roots meaning 'by' or 'to'.
Examples in context
- Bis später!Bye for now!
- Alles klar, bis später.Alright, bye for now.
- Ich gehe jetzt, bis später.I'm leaving now, bye for now.
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are leaving a coffee shop after a quick chat.
- FelixIch muss jetzt los, Julia.I have to go now, Julia.
- JuliaAlles klar, Felix. Bis später!Alright, Felix. Bye for now!
- FelixBis später, wir sehen uns heute Abend.Bye for now, we'll see each other tonight.
- JuliaJa, bis dann!Yes, see you then!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bis später, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bis, später) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
