adiós
/aˈdjos/
The Spanish way to say bye formally is adiós.
adiós is the standard way to say goodbye. While it is the direct translation of 'goodbye', in many Spanish-speaking contexts it can imply a more permanent or long-term departure than the English 'goodbye' suggests.
How does it change in a sentence?
adiós is an invariable interjection, meaning it does not change its form based on gender or number.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈdjos/
Did you know?
- The word adiós is actually a contraction of 'a' and 'Dios', which literally translates to 'to God'.
- Using adiós in a casual setting, such as when leaving a shop, can sound overly dramatic to native speakers.
- To avoid the heavy or final feeling of adiós, many native speakers prefer to use hasta luego instead. This phrasing softens the departure by implying that a future meeting is expected.
Examples in context
- Muchas gracias y adiós.Thank you very much and goodbye.
- Adiós, que tenga un buen día.Goodbye, have a good day.
- Fue un placer, adiós.It was a pleasure, goodbye.
Example conversation
Lucía is leaving a business meeting with Alejandro.
- LucíaFue un gusto hablar con usted, Alejandro.It was a pleasure speaking with you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroIgualmente, Lucía. Gracias por venir.Likewise, Lucía. Thank you for coming.
- LucíaAdiós, que pase una feliz tarde.Goodbye, have a happy afternoon.
- AlejandroAdiós, que esté muy bien.Goodbye, be very well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry adiós, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adiós, CC BY-SA 4.0.
