Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| さようなら | sayōnara | [sa̠jo̞ːna̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| さよなら | sayonara | [sa̠jo̞na̠ɾa̠] (narrow) |
| それでは | sore de wa | [so̞ɾe̞ de̞ β̞a̠] (narrow) |
| またね | mata ne | [ma̠ta̠ ne̞] (narrow) |
| じゃ、また | ja, mata | |
| バイバイ | baibai | [ba̠iba̠i] (narrow) |
The phrase used to say goodbye depends on whether your departure is permanent or temporary, and how close you are to the person. While さようなら is a standard way to say farewell, it can sometimes imply a more formal or long-term parting. For daily, temporary departures among friends, more casual expressions are common.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in tone and duration of parting. さようなら and its variant さよなら are used when you may not see the person for a while. In contrast, またね (see you) and じゃ、また (well, see you) are used for casual, temporary departures among friends. バイバイ is a playful, informal option often used by children or very close friends. Finally, それでは is a formal way to signal the end of a conversation or meeting before the actual departure.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
さようなら and さよなら can be used in both casual and formal settings when a long absence is expected. それでは is a formal way to conclude a discussion. For colloquial and daily use, じゃ、また is a common contraction. またね is informal and used among friends, while バイバイ is an informal loanword used in a cute or casual manner, primarily by children or very close friends.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
それでは functions as a formal way to say 'well then' or 'in that case' to signal the end of an interaction. じゃ、また is a common contraction used in daily conversation to mean 'well, see you later'.
How do you pronounce it?
sayōnara
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use さようなら in daily life. Instead of using this formal farewell with friends and colleagues, it is more appropriate to use casual phrases like またね or また明日 (see you tomorrow).
Did you know?
- The phrase さようなら originally began as a conjunction meaning 'if that is the way it is' rather than a greeting.
- In Japanese schools, students often say さようなら to their teachers as a ritualized part of the school day, even though it is otherwise too formal for daily use.
- When saying goodbye, Japanese people may perform a slight bow, and the depth of the bow changes depending on whether they use それでは or またね.
Examples in context
- さようなら。Goodbye!This sentence shows a standard goodbye.Tatoeba #640569 by arihato, translation #516745 by minshirui
- では、さようなら。Well then, goodbye.This sentence shows how to use 'well then' with a goodbye.Tatoeba #11029805 by small_snow, translation #11827779 by nana2capriccio
- さようなら、さよ子。Goodbye, Sayoko.This sentence shows the use of the word in a direct address.Tatoeba #216707 by KK_kaku_, translation #54013 by CN
- さようなら、またね！Goodbye, see you later!
- じゃあね、また明日！Bye, see you tomorrow!
- ばいばい、楽しかったね！Bye, it was fun!
- ごきげんよう、お元気で！Goodbye, take care!
- お先に失礼します、お疲れさまでした。Sorry for leaving before you, thank you for your hard work.
- じゃな、また会おうね！See you again soon!
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are parting ways after a formal meeting.
- 蓮 Ren今日はありがとうございました。さようなら。Kyō wa arigatō gozaimashita. Sayōnara.Thank you for today. Goodbye.
- 結衣 Yuiこちらこそ。さようなら。Kochira koso. Sayōnara.Likewise. Goodbye.
- 蓮 Ren気をつけて帰ってください。Ki o tsukete kaette kudasai.Please get home safely.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries さようなら, さよなら, それでは, またね, バイバイ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries さようなら, さよなら, またね, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
