Ways to say it
| Catalan | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| adeu | [əˈðe̞w] (Northern, narrow) [əˈðew] (Balearic, Central, narrow) |
|
| adeu-siau | [əˌðe̞w.siˈaw] (Northern, narrow) [əˌðew.siˈaw] (Balearic, Central, narrow) |
|
| a reveure | [ə rəˈβe̞w.ɾə] (Northern, narrow) [ə rəˈvəw.ɾə] (Balearic, narrow) |
|
| passa-ho bé | informal | |
| passi-ho bé | formal |
You can use adeu, adeu-siau or a reveure as ways to say farewell. Additionally, you can wish someone well as they depart by using phrases like passa-ho bé or passi-ho bé.
What does it mean word for word?
The word adeu is a contraction of the phrase a Déu, which literally means 'to God'.
Which one should you use?
While adeu, adeu-siau and a reveure are all used as utterances of goodbye, the phrases passa-ho bé and passi-ho bé are used to wish someone a good time or to tell them to 'pass it well'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When wishing someone a good time, passa-ho bé is the informal option, whereas passi-ho bé is the formal version. If you are in a formal situation during the daytime, you might also use Que tingui un bon dia to say 'have a good day'. For an informal 'see you soon', you can use Fins aviat.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase passa-ho bé uses the imperative singular to address someone informally. In contrast, passi-ho bé is the formal version of this expression.
Did you know?
- The phrase adeu-siau contains a fossilized form of the archaic formal pronoun vós that is no longer used in modern spoken Catalan.
- While adeu translates to 'goodbye', its root is the same as the English word 'adieu', which also comes from the Latin phrase for 'to God'.
Examples in context
- Digues adeu a la teva mare.Say goodbye to your mother.
Example conversation
Pol and Anna are finishing a coffee at a cafe.
- PolBueno, m'ho he passat molt bé, Anna.Well, I had a great time, Anna.
- AnnaJo també, Pol. Ens trucarem.Me too, Pol. We will call each other.
- PolPerfecte. Adeu!Perfect. Goodbye!
- AnnaAdeu! Que vagi bé!Goodbye! Have a good one!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries adeu, adeu-siau, a reveure, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, a reveure, adeu, adeu-siau, bé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
