auf Wiedersehen, mein Freund
The English phrase 'goodbye, my friend' can be translated into German as auf Wiedersehen, mein Freund.
The phrase is used to bid farewell to someone you consider a friend. For a warm and affectionate farewell among friends, you can also use the informal Tschüss, mein Freund. Another variation used between close friends is Mach's gut, alter Freund, which translates to 'Take care, old friend'.
Which one should you use?
While auf Wiedersehen, mein Freund is formal and polite, Tschüss, mein Freund is the common informal way to say the same thing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bavaria, locals may say Pfiat di, mei Freind to mean 'farewell, my friend'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'goodbye, my friends' (plural), you change the phrase to auf Wiedersehen, meine Freunde.
Did you know?
- While 'mein Freund' is a direct translation, calling a stranger 'mein Freund' in Germany can sometimes sound patronizing or overly familiar.
- The Bavarian version Pfiat di is actually a shortened form of a prayer asking God to protect the person being greeted.
- The word 'Freund' shares the same ancient root as the English word 'lover', originally meaning 'the loving one'.
Examples in context
- Auf Wiedersehen, mein Freund! Vielen Dank für die schöne Zeit. Wir sehen uns nächste Woche wieder!Goodbye, my friend! Thank you for the wonderful time. We'll see each other again next week!
- Tschüss, mein Freund! Bis zum nächsten Mal. Hab einen schönen Tag!Goodbye, my friend! Until next time. Have a great day!
- Mach's gut, alter Freund! Es war so toll, dich zu sehen. Bis bald!Take care, old friend! It was great to see you. See you soon!
Example conversation
Hannah and Lukas are parting ways after coffee.
- HannahDas war ein schöner Tag, Lukas.That was a lovely day, Lukas.
- LukasJa, es war wirklich toll, Hannah.Yes, it was really great, Hannah.
- HannahAuf Wiedersehen, mein Freund!Goodbye, my friend!
- LukasBis zum nächsten Mal!Until next time!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Freund, Wiedersehen, auf, mein, wiedersehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
