Au revoir
standard
The standard French goodbye is Au revoir. You can also say À bientôt for "see you soon", Salut with friends and Bonne journée to wish someone a good day.
Meaning: farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| Au revoir | standard |
| Salut | casual |
| À bientôt | see you soon |
| Bonne journée | polite wish |
Au revoir is safe in every situation. Bonne journée is common when leaving a shop or ending a call.
Which one should you use?
À bientôt says you expect to meet again soon. Adieu means a final goodbye and is rare in speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Salut is only for people you know well. With strangers and in business, use Au revoir or Bonne journée.
How do you pronounce it?
Au revoir sounds like "oh ruh-VWAHR".
Did you know?
- The French salut is used for both hello and goodbye among friends.
Examples in context
- À bientôt, j'espère!See you soon, I hope!
- Salut, à demain!Bye, see you tomorrow!
- Merci, bonne journée!Thank you, have a nice day!
Example conversation
Paul leaves a bakery in Paris and says goodbye to the baker Madame Roux.
- PaulMerci beaucoup. Au revoir, madame.Thank you very much. Goodbye, madam.
- Madame RouxBonne journée, monsieur!Have a nice day, sir!
- PaulVous aussi. À bientôt!You too. See you soon!
