hwyl
/huːɨ̯l/
hwyl is the Welsh word for bye.
hwyl is a versatile term used to say bye or goodbye. While it can also refer to a person's mood or emotional state, it functions as a common farewell in conversation.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
Which one should you use?
hwyl is the standard short form, while Hwyl am y tro is an informal way to say 'bye for now' or 'cheerio'.
How do you pronounce it?
/huːɨ̯l/
Did you know?
- The word hwyl shares an unexpected ancestry with the English word 'sail'. It originally referred to the sail of a ship, later evolving to mean the excitement or momentum of a successful voyage.
- Hwyl shares a common linguistic ancestor with the Breton word gouel, which can mean both 'sail' and 'feast'.
- Because hwyl relates to 'momentum' or 'speed', using it as a farewell carries a subtle connotation of 'moving along' or 'making progress'.
Examples in context
- Hwyl, bawb!Bye, everyone!This sentence shows how to use hwyl when addressing a group.
- Hwyl am nawr.Bye for now.This sentence demonstrates using hwyl to say goodbye for a temporary period.Tatoeba #11556913 by deniko, translation #2167181 by AlanF_US
- Diolch am y sgwrs, hwyl fawr!Thank you for the conversation, goodbye!
- Nos da, hwyl!Good night, bye!
- Diolch am y cinio. Hwyl am y tro!Thank you for the meal. Bye for now!
Example conversation
Two friends are leaving a cafe after lunch.
- CatrinHwyl, Dylan!Bye, Dylan!
- DylanHwyl, Catrin. Mwynha dy diwrnod.Bye, Catrin. Enjoy your day.
- CatrinDiolch, hwyl am nawr.Thanks, bye for now.
- DylanHwyl!Bye!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hwyl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hwyl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
