さようなら
sayōnaraformal
Goodbye in hiragana is さようなら (sayōnara). It sounds fairly final, so in daily life people often say じゃあね (jā ne) or またね (mata ne), which means "see you".
Meaning: farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| さようなら | sayōnara | formal |
| じゃあね | jā ne | casual |
| またね | mata ne | casual |
Which one should you use?
さようなら is used at school and in formal farewells, or when you will not meet for a long time. またね is the friendly choice for someone you will see again soon.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When leaving a workplace, Japanese people say おさきにしつれいします (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu), meaning "excuse me for leaving first".
How do you pronounce it?
Say さようなら as "sah-yoh-nah-rah" with a long yo.
Did you know?
- At the end of a school day, Japanese pupils often chant さようなら together with the teacher.
Examples in context
- さようなら、せんせい。Sayōnara, sensei.Goodbye, teacher.
- じゃあね、またあした。Jā ne, mata ashita.Bye, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Two friends, Ren and Saki, part at the school gate.
- 蓮 Renじゃあね、さき。Jā ne, Saki.Bye, Saki.
- Sakiまたね、れん。Mata ne, Ren.See you, Ren.
- 蓮 Renあしたあおう。Ashita aō.Let's meet tomorrow.
