баяртай
bajartaj/pa.jər.tʰæː/
The Mongolian word for "bye" is баяртай (bajartaj).
баяртай is the standard way to say goodbye in Mongolian. While English speakers often use "bye" as a shortened, informal version of "goodbye", in Mongolian, баяртай is the primary standard form used in most situations.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a combination of баяр, meaning "joy" or "happiness" and the suffix -тай, which means "with". Literally, it translates to "with joy".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
баяртай is a polite and standard expression suitable for most social and professional settings.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pa.jər.tʰæː/. The romanization is bajartaj.
Did you know?
- While баяртай is the standard way to say 'bye', Mongolians often avoid saying it if they believe the departure is permanent or if the situation is ominous, as it implies a lasting state of 'joy'.
- In many informal settings, especially among friends, Mongolians often skip баяртай entirely and simply use за (za) to signal the end of a conversation.
- The root word баяр is also used to describe a 'celebration' or 'holiday', meaning that saying баяртай is linguistically similar to wishing someone a festive spirit.
Examples in context
- Одоо явлахад боллоо, баяртай.Odoo yavlakhad bolloo, bayartai.It's time to go now, bye.
- Би явж байна, баяртай!Bi yavj baina, bayartai!I'm leaving, bye!
Example conversation
Two friends are finishing their walk and parting ways.
- Ганбаатар GanbaatarЭрдэнэгомбо, би гэрээ рүүгээ явъя.Erdenegombo, bi geree rүүgee yavya.Erdenegombo, I will head home now.
- Эрдэнэгомбо ErdenegomboЗа, Ганбаатар, баяртай!Za, Ganbaatar, bayartai!Okay, Ganbaatar, bye!
- Ганбаатар GanbaatarБаяртай, маргааш уулзъя.Bayartai, margaash uulzya.Bye, let's meet tomorrow.
- Эрдэнэгомбо ErdenegomboЗа, маргааш уулзъя.Za, margaash uulzya.Okay, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry баяртай, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
