Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| またね | mata ne | [ma̠ta̠ ne̞] (narrow) |
| さようなら | sayounara | [sa̠jo̞ːna̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| じゃ | ja | [d͡ʑa̠] (narrow) |
| じゃ、また | ja, mata | |
| バイバイ | baibai | [ba̠iba̠i] (narrow) |
またね is a casual way to say goodbye that expresses the intention to meet again. For a more formal and polite goodbye, you can use さようなら, which is often used when parting from someone you may not see for an extended period. The phrase じゃ、また is a natural-sounding way to say "See you later" to friends or acquaintances. The clipped, colloquial expression じゃ functions similarly to saying "Well then…" or "Later" in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase またね is composed of mata (again) and the particle ne, which is a sentence-ending particle used for emphasis or seeking agreement.
Which one should you use?
While さようなら is the standard dictionary word for goodbye, it often carries a sense of finality or a long-term separation, making it less suitable for daily casual use with friends than またね. On the other hand, じゃ、また combines the casual じゃ with mata to create a common way to say "See you later."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
またね and じゃ are colloquial or casual. バイバイ is an informal loanword from English used in a very casual, often cute or childish context. さようなら is a formal and polite way to say goodbye.
How do you pronounce it?
mata ne
Did you know?
- To avoid the finality of a goodbye, Japanese people often use お疲れ様です (meaning 'you are tired') when leaving the office, effectively replacing 'bye' with an acknowledgment of hard work.
- The phrase さようなら originated as a conjunction meaning 'if it is like that' rather than a greeting. It only became used as an interjection to say goodbye around 1788.
- While さようなら is taught as the standard 'goodbye' in textbooks, using it with a close friend can sound unintentionally cold or like you are breaking up with them.
Examples in context
- さようなら。Good-bye!This sentence shows the use of さようなら.Tatoeba #640569 by arihato, translation #64336 by Zifre
- バイバイ。また遊ぼうね！Bye! Let's do this again!This sentence shows the use of バイバイ.Tatoeba #2980845 by tommy_san, translation #2982209 by Chromatic
- ドイツ語で「さようなら」を何と言いますか。How do you say "good bye" in German?Tatoeba #8533953 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #464137 by maolek
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are leaving a cafe after hanging out.
- 結衣 Yui今日は楽しかった！Kyō wa tanoshikatta!I had fun today!
- 大翔 Hiroto僕も。またね。Boku mo. Mata ne.Me too. Bye.
- 結衣 Yuiまたね、大翔君。Mata ne, Hiroto-kun.Bye, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hirotoバイバイ！Baibai!Bye-bye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bye” translations and entries またね, さようなら, じゃ, バイバイ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries さようなら, じゃ, またね, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
