ċaw
/t͡ʃaw/
In Maltese, goodbye is said as ċaw. Wiktionary also lists ċaw ċaw and saħħa.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Ways to say it
| Maltese | IPA |
|---|---|
| ċaw | /t͡ʃaw/ |
| ċaw ċaw | /t͡ʃaw t͡ʃaw/ (word by word) |
| saħħa | /ˈsaħ.ħa/ |
The phrase is used as a farewell when parting from someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The form saħħa literally means 'health' and is used as a parting wish for someone's well-being.
Which one should you use?
ċaw is a standard informal way to say bye. Doubling the word to ċaw ċaw makes the farewell sound more casual, playful or affectionate. In contrast, saħħa is a more formal or polite option.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ċaw and its doubled form ċaw ċaw are informal. saħħa is a more formal or polite way to say goodbye compared to ċaw.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃaw/
When do people say it?
When using saħħa, you are essentially wishing someone health as you depart.
Did you know?
- The informal ċaw is actually a linguistic traveler that arrived from Italy via the word 'ciao'.
- The word saħħa can also mean 'strength' or 'power' in other contexts, making your goodbye a wish for both health and vigor.
- In some traditional Maltese settings, a formal goodbye might be accompanied by a slight nod or a handshake, but ċaw is often paired with a casual wave.
Examples in context
- Ċaw!Goodbye!This sentence is useful for practicing the form ċaw.Tatoeba #1387561 by enteka, translation #516745 by minshirui
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jessica and Paul are leaving a coffee shop.
- JessicaGrazzi għal kulltajj!Thanks for everything!
- PaulMxi l-estema, Paul!It was a pleasure, Paul!
- JessicaĊaw, Jessica!Goodbye, Jessica!
- PaulĊaw, ara tiek!Goodbye, see you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries ċaw, ċaw ċaw, saħħa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ċaw) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries saħħa, ċaw, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
