vale in perpetuum
The English phrase "goodbye forever" is translated into Latin as vale in perpetuum.
A final farewell used when someone expects never to see the other person again.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb vale (farewell/be well) and the prepositional phrase in perpetuum (forever/in perpetuity).
Which one should you use?
While vale alone means a standard farewell, adding in perpetuum changes the meaning from a routine goodbye to a permanent one.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are saying goodbye to more than one person, you must change the singular vale to the plural valete.
Did you know?
- The word vale has a distant cousin in the English word 'valedictorian'. A valedictorian is a student who delivers a 'farewell' speech at a graduation ceremony.
- Because vale is an imperative verb, you are grammatically commanding the person to 'be well'. To say 'goodbye forever' is essentially commanding someone to stay healthy for eternity.
- In Ancient Rome, vale was not just spoken but frequently written as a closing to letters, functioning like 'sincerely' or 'best wishes'.
Examples in context
- Vale in aeternumFarewell forever.
- Iterum vale non dicamI shall not say farewell again.
- Vale in aeternum, amice/a!Farewell forever, my friend!
- Vale in perpetuum, amice.Goodbye forever, friend.
- Nunc vale in perpetuum.Now goodbye forever.
Example conversation
Two friends parting ways for the last time before a long journey.
- LuciaVale in perpetuum, Gai.Goodbye forever, Gaius.
- GaiusCur sic dicis, Lucia?Why do you say that, Lucia?
- LuciaIter longum et periculosum est.The journey is long and dangerous.
- GaiusAtque ego tui semper meminero.And I will always remember you.
