Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tot ziens | /tɔtˈsins/ | |
| tot weerziens | dated | |
| doei | /dui̯/ | informal |
| doeg | /dux/ | informal |
| dag | /dɑx/ | informal |
| hoi | /ɦɔi̯/ | informal |
| houdoe | [ˈɦɑu.du] (Brabantian, East, narrow) [ˈɑu.du] (Brabantian, West, narrow) |
Southern, informal |
| ajuus | /aːˈjys/ | Eastern, informal, alternative form |
| aju | /aːˈjy/ | Eastern, informal |
Tot ziens can be used in both formal and informal settings. Other options include the very informal doei, the slangy doeg or the versatile dag, which can serve as both a greeting and a farewell. In some contexts, tot ziens implies the sentiment "until we see each other again."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tot ziens literally means "until seeing" (each other), where tot means "until" and ziens means "seeing".
Which one should you use?
While tot ziens is the standard polite way to say goodbye, especially in professional settings or shops, doei is a common informal way to say "bye" to friends and family. Doeg is a more slangy and very informal variation of doei. Dag is a versatile word that can mean both "hello" and "bye". For a more dated expression, you might encounter tot weerziens.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Tot ziens is the standard polite or formal choice. Doei, doeg, dag, hoi and aju are informal. Tot weerziens is considered dated. For a very formal and solemn farewell that conveys finality, one would use vaarwel.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southern Netherlands (Brabant), you will hear the characteristic regional farewell houdoe. In the eastern parts of the Netherlands, aju is common and it is sometimes spelled ajuus.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tot can be used with other time-related words to mean "see you [at a certain time]", such as tot morgen (see you tomorrow).
How do you pronounce it?
/tɔtˈsins/
Did you know?
- The word vaarwel is reserved for solemn or final departures and can sound unnervingly permanent if used in a casual setting.
- The common informal goodbye doei is a linguistic 'doublet' of the word dag, meaning they both evolved from the same original source.
Examples in context
- Tot ziens dan maar.Well, goodbye.This is useful for expressing a casual departure.Tatoeba #12333232 by megamanenm, translation #7884868 by Ilia2
- Tot ziens, Bob en Nora.Goodbye, Bob and Nora.This shows how to address multiple people when saying goodbye.Tatoeba #1308710 by Citrine, translation #1098113 by cntrational
- Hij ging weg zonder dag tegen me te zeggen.He went out without saying goodbye to me.This demonstrates the use of dag in a sentence.Tatoeba #3042861 by Citrine, translation #297485 by CK
- Bedankt voor de gezelligheid. Dag!Thanks for the company. Bye!
- We spreken elkaar later. Doei!We'll talk later. Bye!
- Ik moet gaan. Tot ziens!I have to go. Goodbye!
- Het is tijd om afscheid te nemen. Bedankt voor de samenwerking.It's time to say goodbye. Thank you for the collaboration.
- Bedankt voor uw tijd. Tot ziens!Thank you for your time. Goodbye!
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sophie and Noah are leaving a small cafe.
- SophieTot ziens, Noah!Goodbye, Noah!
- NoahTot ziens, Sophie!Goodbye, Sophie!
- SophieHet was leuk je te zien.It was nice to see you.
- NoahJa, tot de volgende keer.Yes, until next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries tot ziens, doei, doeg, dag, hoi, houdoe, ajuus, aju, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries doeg, doei, tot, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
