ćao
/t͡ɕâːo/
In Bosnian, the way to say bye is ćao.
ćao is an informal way to say both "hi" and "bye". It is most commonly used among friends, family and peers.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
Which one should you use?
While ćao is a casual, short form used in relaxed settings, do viđenja is the standard formal way to say goodbye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ćao is used in informal settings. For formal or professional situations, such as business, you should use more formal expressions like do viđenja.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɕâːo/
Did you know?
- While ćao is used for 'bye', Bosnian speakers often use the word zdravo for 'hello'. Interestingly, zdravo comes from the word for 'healthy', making the greeting a literal wish for the other person's health.
- The Bosnian ćao is a direct loan from the Italian ciao. This reflects the historical influence of Mediterranean trade and culture on the Adriatic coast of the Balkans.
- When using the formal do viđenja, it is customary to accompany the phrase with a slight nod of the head to signal politeness.
Examples in context
- Doviđenja! Bilo mi je zadovoljstvo.Goodbye! It was a pleasure.
- Pozdrav! Vidimo se uskoro.Greetings! See you soon.
- Ćao! Do sljedećeg puta.Bye! Until next time.
- Ćao, vidimo se sutra.Bye, see you tomorrow.
- Ćao, čujemo se kasnije.Bye, we'll talk later.
- Samo ćao i odlazi.He just says bye and leaves.
Example conversation
Tarik and Lejla are finishing a phone call.
- TarikHvala ti na pozivu, Lejla.Thank you for the call, Lejla.
- LejlaNema na čemu, Tarik.You're welcome, Tarik.
- TarikĆao, čujemo se.Bye, talk to you later.
- LejlaĆao.Bye.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ćao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ćao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
