What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is etymologically derived from さようなら (sayō nara), meaning "if it be thus", implying a sense of "if things must be this way (we must part)."
Which one should you use?
While さようなら is formal and can sound heavy, じゃあね is a much more common, casual way to say goodbye to friends and peers. For more casual alternatives, じゃまた is a casual way to say goodbye used among friends and またね is an informal phrase expressing that you will meet again soon.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
さようなら is quite formal and often carries a sense of finality or a long-term parting, making it less suitable for daily use with friends or family. For informal settings, you might use じゃまた or またね.
How do you pronounce it?
sayōnara
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often overuse さようなら in casual settings, which can inadvertently make the parting sound cold, distant or permanent to a native speaker.
Did you know?
- In many Japanese workplaces, employees do not use さようなら when leaving for the day, but instead use お疲れ様でした to acknowledge their colleague's hard work.
- While さようなら is the most famous farewell globally, it is one of the least used greetings in daily life among native Japanese speakers.
- The word 'sayo' in さようなら is an archaic way of saying 'that way', which has since been replaced by modern Japanese forms in most other contexts.
Examples in context
- 明日日本へ帰りますので、お会いできなくなるかもしれません。さようなら。Since I'll be returning to Japan tomorrow, we might not be able to see each other again. Goodbye.
- きょうは本当に素敵な時間を過ごさせてもらいました。さようなら。I truly had a wonderful time today. Goodbye.
- じゃまた来週ね。See you next week.
- 今日は楽しかった！またね！Today was fun! See you later!
- お先に失礼します。明日もよろしくお願いします。Excuse me for leaving first. Please take care of things tomorrow as well.
- さようなら。sayounara.Goodbye.
- 先生、さようなら。sensei, sayounara.Goodbye, teacher.
Example conversation
Two students are leaving school for the day.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵ちゃん、さようなら。Himari-chan, sayounara.Good bye, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くん、さようなら。Youta-kun, sayounara.Good bye, Youta.
- 陽太 Yotaまた明日ね。Mata ashita ne.See you tomorrow.
- 陽葵 Himariうん、また明日。Un, mata ashita.Yeah, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry さようなら, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries さようなら, CC BY-SA 4.0.
