au revoir ma belle
The English phrase "goodbye beautiful" can be translated into French as au revoir ma belle.
This phrase is a friendly way to say goodbye to a woman you find attractive or love. While au revoir is a standard way to say goodbye, adding ma belle shifts the phrase from a neutral farewell to a personal, affectionate one.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase au revoir ma belle is composed of au revoir, which literally translates to "until seeing again" and ma belle, which means "my beautiful (one)".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using ma belle is informal and carries a flirtatious or affectionate tone.
Did you know?
- While ma belle is affectionate, using it with a stranger in France can be perceived as catcaller behavior or overly aggressive flirtation depending on the setting.
- In some regions of France and Quebec, ma belle is used as a generic term of endearment by older women toward younger girls, regardless of romantic attraction.
- The word belle is actually an adjective, but in this phrase, it functions as a noun to describe the person directly. This grammatical shift is common in French endearments where an adjective replaces a person's name.
Examples in context
- À bientôt, au revoir ma belle.See you soon, goodbye beautiful.
Example conversation
Nathan is leaving Léa after a lovely date.
- NathanLa soirée était parfaite.The evening was perfect.
- LéaMerci, Nathan. C'était très gentil.Thank you, Nathan. That was very kind.
- NathanAu revoir ma belle.Goodbye, beautiful.
- LéaÀ bientôt !See you soon!
