Ways to say it
| Icelandic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bæ | [ˈpaiː] (narrow) | colloquial |
| bless bless | [ˈplɛs(ː) ˈplɛs(ː)] (word by word, narrow) | |
| bæjó | colloquial |
Which one should you use?
The form bæ is an informal way to say goodbye equivalent to bye or bye-bye in English. The form bless bless consists of the word bless repeated, which is a common, friendly and informal way to say goodbye. The form bæjó is a highly colloquial, cute or playful way to say goodbye, often used with children or close friends. Bæ-bæ is an even more informal and affectionate way to say bye-bye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bæ is an informal, shortened version of 'bless' used similarly to the English 'bye'. bless bless is a common, friendly and informal way to say goodbye.
When do people say it?
Repeating the word as bless bless is a common, friendly and informal way to say goodbye.
Did you know?
- Repeating bless bless is so common that saying it only once can sometimes sound abrupt or cold to a native speaker.
- Icelandic has different versions of 'be blessed' depending on gender, but the shortened bless is used universally for everyone.
- The word bæ is actually an Icelandic adaptation of the English word 'bye'.
Examples in context
- Bless og góðan dag!Goodbye and have a good day!
- Sjáumst á morgun!See you tomorrow!
- Bæ! Við heyrumst!Bye! We'll be in touch!
- Bless bless! Hafið það gott!Bye-bye! Take care!
- Bæ, sjáumst síðar!Bye, see you later!
- Ég fer nú, bæ.I'm leaving now, bye.
Example conversation
Ólafur and Kristín are finishing a quick chat on the street.
- ÓlafurÞað var gaman að sjá þig, Kristín.It was nice to see you, Kristín.
- KristínGaman að sjá þig líka, Ólafur.Nice to see you too, Ólafur.
- ÓlafurJá, bæ!Yeah, bye!
- KristínBæ!Bye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bye” translations and entries bæ, bless bless, bæjó, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bless) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bless, bæ, bæjó, CC BY-SA 4.0.