さようなら
sayōnara[sa̠jo̞ːna̠ɾa̠]
The English phrase 'goodbye to someone' is translated into Japanese as さようなら (sayōnara).
さようなら is a formal way to say goodbye, often used in formal situations or when parting from someone for a long time. In contrast, other phrases serve different purposes: Shitsurei shimasu is used when leaving someone's presence to mean 'I'm being rude' or 'excuse me for leaving', while Jā mata and Dewa mata are informal ways to say 'see you later'. Additionally, Ja ne is a casual way to say goodbye, similar to 'see you' or 'bye' in English.
Which one should you use?
While さようなら is a formal goodbye, it is often perceived as a final or long-term goodbye. In casual daily settings, speakers are much more likely to use じゃあ or じゃあね instead. Furthermore, when leaving a professional setting or hanging up a phone, it is more natural to use 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu) than さようなら.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use さようなら in casual social situations, which can unintentionally sound cold or imply that the speaker does not intend to see the person again.
Did you know?
- The phrase さようなら is actually a grammatically incomplete sentence that translates literally to 'If it is so'.
- In Japanese schools, students typically say さようなら to their teachers at the end of the day, even though they will see them the next morning.
- Unlike English 'goodbye', which has a positive wish for 'good' days, さようなら contains no word for 'good' or 'well'.
Examples in context
- 先生、さようなら。Sensei, sayounara.Goodbye, teacher.
- さようなら、また明日。Sayounara, mata ashita.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are leaving school at the end of the day.
- 結衣 Yui陽太君、さようなら。Youta-kun, sayounara.Goodbye, Yota.
- 陽太 Yota結衣さん、さようなら。Yui-san, sayounara.Goodbye, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiまた明日ね。Mata ashita ne.See you tomorrow.
- 陽太 Yotaうん、また明日。Un, mata ashita.Yeah, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry さようなら, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries さようなら, CC BY-SA 4.0.
