じゃあね
jā ne
The Japanese phrase for goodbye to a friend is じゃあね (jā ne).
じゃあね is a casual phrase that translates to "see you." Other ways to say goodbye to friends include the casual またね, which means "see you later," and the phrase また会いましょう, which means "let's meet again."
Which one should you use?
While さようなら is the textbook word for goodbye, it can sound heavy, formal or even permanent in casual friendships. In contrast, じゃあね is the standard casual way to say goodbye to a peer. Additionally, among friends, さよなら can be used in an informal, light-hearted or dramatic way.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
じゃあね is an informal expression used primarily among friends and family.
How do you pronounce it?
jā ne
Did you know?
- While じゃあね is a friendly farewell, Japanese people often use the word お疲れ様 ('you are tired') to say goodbye to colleagues, treating the acknowledgment of hard work as the primary way to part ways.
- In Japanese pop culture, a character saying さよなら to a close friend instead of じゃあね can signal a permanent breakup or even a death, turning a simple farewell into a tragedy.
- The word じゃあ in じゃあね is actually a contraction of the phrase では ('then' or 'well then'), which is a much more formal way to transition in a conversation.
Examples in context
- じゃあね、また明日！jaa ne, mata ashita!Goodbye, see you tomorrow!
- 今日は楽しかったよ。じゃあね。kyou wa tanoshikatta yo. jaa ne.Today was fun. Bye.
- じゃあね、気をつけて帰ってね。jaa ne, ki o tsukete kaette ne.Bye, get home safely.
Example conversation
Two friends are parting ways after shopping.
- 美咲 Misaki今日は楽しかったね。Kyou wa tanoshikatta ne.I had a great time today.
- 健太 Kenta僕もだよ。また連絡するね。Boku mo da yo. Mata renraku suru ne.Me too. I'll be in touch.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、じゃあね！Un, jaa ne!Yeah, bye!
- 健太 Kentaじゃあね、気をつけてね。Jaa ne, ki o tsukete ne.Bye, take care.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry じゃあね, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
