ча́о
čáo
ча́о (čáo) is the Bulgarian way to say "bye".
ча́о is an informal way to say goodbye, serving as the equivalent of the English "Bye". It is commonly used in casual settings, such as when hanging up the phone during an informal conversation.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
Which one should you use?
ча́о is used with friends and family, whereas Довиждане is the standard way to say goodbye in formal situations.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ча́о is an informal expression. For a formal goodbye, use Довиждане.
How do you pronounce it?
čáo
Did you know?
- Unlike the Italian origin of ча́о, which can mean both 'hello' and 'goodbye', in Bulgarian it is used exclusively for departing.
- Although it is the standard informal way to say goodbye in Bulgaria, ча́о is actually an Italian loanword. It originally comes from the Venetian word 'ciao', which is used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye'.
- In northern Bulgaria, you may hear people add the word пак, meaning 'again', to their farewells. This functions as a subtle wish to see the person again soon.
Examples in context
- Довиждане и успех!Goodbye and good luck!
- Хайде, чао! Викай ме, ако ти трябва нещо.Take care, bye! Call me if you need anything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bye” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
