hasta luego
/ˌasta ˈlweɡo/
In Spanish, "goodbye for now" is translated as hasta luego.
hasta luego is one of the most common ways to say goodbye in Spanish. It is used when you expect to see the person again at an unspecified time or later in the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of hasta (until) and luego (later), literally meaning "until later".
Which one should you use?
While hasta luego implies seeing someone later or at an unspecified time, hasta pronto is used specifically to emphasize that the next meeting will happen soon (see you soon).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, it is common to add pues after saying hasta luego to make it sound more casual, as in Hasta luego, pues. Additionally, in Mexico, you can add cuate after saying Nos vemos to add a friendly tone, resulting in Nos vemos, cuate.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌasta ˈlweɡo/
Did you know?
- Linguists disagree on whether hasta comes from Latin or from the Arabic word ḥattā, which also means 'until'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, saying hasta luego is often accompanied by a light touch on the arm or a cheek kiss to signal the social bond.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, hasta luego is used as a polite way to end a conversation even if the speakers have no actual plan to meet again.
Examples in context
- Gracias por todo, hasta luego.Thanks for everything, goodbye for now.
- Me voy a casa, hasta luego.I'm going home, goodbye for now.
- Nos vemos mañana, hasta luego.See you tomorrow, goodbye for now.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are leaving a coffee shop after chatting.
- JavierFue un placer verte, Elena.It was a pleasure seeing you, Elena.
- ElenaIgualmente, Javier. Hasta luego.Likewise, Javier. Goodbye for now.
- JavierTe llamo más tarde.I will call you later.
- ElenaPerfecto, cuídate mucho.Perfect, take care.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hasta luego, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hasta, hasta luego, luego, CC BY-SA 4.0.
