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) |
The most common way to express that you intend to see someone again soon is by using またね, which carries the meaning of "see you later" or "see you soon". Other ways to express parting include the shortened じゃ for a quick departure, or the more complete じゃ、また which means "well, see you again".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase またね is composed of mata, meaning "again" and the particle ne, which is a sentence-ending particle used to seek agreement or confirmation, resulting in a sense of "See you again, okay?"
Which one should you use?
While さようなら is the standard way to say goodbye, it often sounds very formal or even final, implying a long-term or permanent parting. In contrast, またね is much more casual and focuses on the intent to meet again in the near future. For a very quick exit, you might use the shortened じゃ, whereas じゃ、また is a slightly more complete casual version.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
さようなら is a formal standard, though it can feel heavy or permanent. またね is colloquial and ideal for friends. For a very casual or playful tone, you can use バイバイ, which is an informal loanword. じゃ is a colloquial, very casual shortening used when leaving a conversation quickly.
How do you pronounce it?
mata ne
When do people say it?
Among friends, またね is commonly used to express the intent to meet again in the near future. The loanword バイバイ is often used by young children or when someone wants to convey a particularly cute and playful tone.
Did you know?
- In Japanese workplaces, employees rarely use any of these 'bye' phrases. Instead, they use お疲れ様でした which thanks the coworker for their hard work during the day.
- The standard goodbye さようなら actually began its life as a logical conjunction meaning 'if it is so'.
- Japanese speakers often accompany casual partings like またね or じゃ with a small wave or a slight nod. However, using a full bow while saying these casual phrases would create a confusing clash of formality.
Examples in context
- さようなら。Good-bye!Tatoeba #640569 by arihato, translation #64336 by Zifre
- バイバイ。また遊ぼうね！Bye! Let's do this again!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
Misaki and Hiroto are leaving a cafe after studying together.
- 美咲 Misaki今日はありがとう。またね。Kyou wa arigatou. Mata ne.Thanks for today. Bye.
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、こちらこそ。またね。Un, kochira koso. Mata ne.Yeah, same here. Bye.
- 美咲 Misakiじゃあ、また明日！Jaa, mata ashita!Well, see you tomorrow!
- 大翔 Hirotoまた明日、美咲。Mata ashita, Misaki.See you tomorrow, Misaki.
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.
