chao, chica
/ˈt͡ʃaw ˈt͡ʃika/word by word
The phrase "girl, bye" is translated into Spanish as chao, chica.
chao, chica is an informal way to say goodbye to a female friend. In Mexico, "bye" is used among young people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃaw ˈtʃika/
Did you know?
- The word chao is a linguistic relative of the English word 'slave'. It comes from the Italian ciao, which evolved from a Venetian phrase meaning 'I am your slave'.
- Using chao, chica can sometimes sound like a dubbed movie translation rather than natural speech, leading locals to prefer chao, guapa or chao, linda.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, saying chao abruptly can function as a social dismissal rather than a friendly farewell. It can effectively shut down a conversation entirely.
Example conversation
María is leaving a cafe after meeting Daniel.
- MaríaMe tengo que ir ya.I have to go now.
- DanielEstá bien, que te vaya bien.That's fine, have a good one.
- MaríaGracias, chao, chica.Thanks, girl, bye.
- Daniel¡Hasta luego, María!See you later, María!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (chao, chica) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
