Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| adiós | /aˈdjos/ | |
| chau | /ˈt͡ʃau/ | alternative form |
| chao | /ˈt͡ʃaw/ | |
| agur | /aˈɡuɾ/ | |
| abur | /aˈbuɾ/ | alternative form |
| bay | /ˈbai/ | Latin America |
The various forms of this expression range from the standard adiós to informal terms like chao. Other phrases like hasta luego (see you later), nos vemos (we'll see each other) and hasta pronto (see you soon) are often used.
Which one should you use?
adiós is a more formal option that can imply a longer or even more permanent departure. In contrast, chao is a common, informal way to say bye. The spelling chau is an alternative way to write the informal chao.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
adiós is more formal than the informal chao. For polite or formal situations, you can use phrases such as adiós, que tenga un buen día or adiós, que pase un buen día to wish someone a good day or que le vaya bien to say have a good one.
Is it said differently in some regions?
chao and its alternative spelling chau are used throughout many Spanish-speaking countries, but chau is the standard spelling in the Southern Cone region, specifically in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. In Argentina, chau is frequently used instead of adiós or hasta luego. In Latin America, you may also encounter the form bay. The forms agur and its alternative spelling abur are also present in the language.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈdjos/
Did you know?
- The word chao is a doublet of the word 'esclavo', meaning they share a distant historical connection through the same linguistic root.
Examples in context
- Se fue sin decir adiós.He went off without saying good-bye.This sentence shows the use of adiós in a phrase about leaving.Tatoeba #2160479 by Shishir, translation #290039 by CM
- ¡Hola y chao! Soy Nonong.Hello and bye! I'm Nonong.This sentence uses chao as an informal greeting and departure.Tatoeba #1393557 by marcelostockle, translation #1502382 by gleki
- Ya me tengo que ir. ¡Chao!I have to go now. Bye!This sentence demonstrates how to use chao when leaving.Tatoeba #3182257 by marcelostockle, translation #2093311 by gleki
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are leaving a coffee shop.
- JavierBueno, María, ¡adiós!Well, María, bye!
- María¡Adiós, Javier! Que te vaya bien.Bye, Javier! Hope everything goes well for you.
- JavierGracias, nos vemos pronto.Thanks, see you soon.
- MaríaSí, hasta la próxima.Yes, until next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bye” translations and entries adiós, chau, chao, agur, abur, bay, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adiós, bay, chao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
