さらば
saraba
さらば (saraba) is a Japanese way to say goodbye or farewell.
さらば is used to express a goodbye or farewell. It carries a heavy, theatrical tone and is frequently found in literature, films or anime to signal a significant or permanent parting.
Which one should you use?
While both さらば and さようなら (sayounara) can mean goodbye, さようなら is the standard polite way to say goodbye, whereas さらば carries a much heavier and more dramatic tone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
さらば is highly dramatic and archaic. Because of this, it is unsuitable for everyday casual greetings.
How do you pronounce it?
saraba
When do people say it?
A common dramatic expression using this phrase is さらば、また会う日まで (saraba, mata au hi made), which means 'Farewell, until the day we meet again'.
Did you know?
- The word さらば originates from a grammar structure that essentially means 'since it is thus' or 'now then'. It was originally used to transition a conversation before physically leaving.
- Because of its heavy, old-fashioned flavor, using it as a joke or for comedic effect is common in Japanese media to make a character seem overly serious or 'edgy'.
- The phrase さらば is almost never used in spoken conversation between real people today and is primarily experienced as a written word or a script line.
Examples in context
- さらば、友よ。Saraba, tomo yo.Farewell, my friend.
- さらば、愛しき人よ。Saraba, itoshiki hito yo.Farewell, my beloved.
- さらば、過ぎ去りし日々。Saraba, sugisarishi hibi.Farewell, days gone by.
Example conversation
Two actors are rehearsing a dramatic scene for a play.
- 陽太 Yotaさらば、我が愛した女性よ。Saraba, waga aishita josei yo.Farewell, the woman I loved.
- 陽葵 Himariさらば、騎士よ。安らかに。Saraba, kishi yo. Yasuraka ni.Farewell, knight. Rest in peace.
- 陽太 Yota今のセリフはとても力強いね。Ima no serifu wa totemo chikara-zuyoi ne.That line just now was very powerful.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。次はもっと感情を込めるわ。Arigatou. Tsugi wa motto kanjou o komeru wa.Thank you. I will put more emotion into it next time.
