Ways to say it
| Bulgarian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| дови́ждане | dovíždane |
| сбо́гом | sbógom |
| на до́бър час | na dóbăr čas |
These terms are used to bid farewell. дови́ждане is the standard, neutral way to say goodbye, similar to 'see you' or 'goodbye'. сбо́гом is used for more solemn departures, while на до́бър час is used specifically when someone is leaving to go do something pleasant, meaning 'have a good time' or 'good luck'.
What does it mean word for word?
дови́ждане is a verbal noun derived from the verb 'виждам' (to see), literally meaning 'seeing each other' or 'a seeing'.
Which one should you use?
дови́ждане is the standard, neutral option. In contrast, сбо́гом carries a weight of finality or deep respect and is often found in literature. на до́бър час differs from the others by focusing on the recipient having a good time or good luck during their upcoming activity.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
дови́ждане is a common and formal way to say goodbye. сбо́гом is much more formal and solemn. For casual settings and among friends, the informal loanword чао is the most common way to say 'bye'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word дови́ждане can also function as a noun meaning 'an utterance of goodbye'.
How do you pronounce it?
dovíždane
Did you know?
- While чао is the standard informal 'bye' in Bulgarian, it is a loanword from the Italian ciao, which originally meant 'I am your slave'.
- The word сбо́гом is so heavy with finality that using it for a casual departure might make people think you are leaving forever or even dying.
- The solemn сбо́гом is derived from the word бог meaning 'god', literally wishing the other person to be 'with god'.
Examples in context
- Довиждане, и приятен ден!Goodbye, have a nice day!
- Чао, до скоро!Bye, see you soon!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
