dire au revoir
To say goodbye in French, you use dire au revoir.
The phrase dire au revoir is used when you utter a phrase that indicates you are leaving a person or a place.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb dire (to say), the preposition au (to the) and revoir (see again).
Which one should you use?
Dire au revoir implies a temporary departure with the intent to meet again, whereas dire adieu often implies a permanent or final parting.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, the English words Bye-bye are often used informally when saying goodbye.
How does it change in a sentence?
When saying goodbye to a specific person, you must use the preposition à after the phrase, as in dire au revoir à quelqu'un. If two or more people are saying goodbye to one another, use the reflexive form se dire au revoir.
Did you know?
- While au revoir is standard, using adieu can be perceived as overly dramatic or ominous in modern conversation, as it literally means 'to the god'.
- If you are leaving a shop or a restaurant, it is customary to say Au revoir, merci to the staff. Adding 'merci' (thank you) makes the departure feel much more polite and complete in French culture.
- The verb dire in 'dire au revoir' is a distant relative of the English word 'dictate'. Both stem from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to show' or 'to point out'.
Examples in context
- Au revoir, madame. Merci pour votre aide.Goodbye, ma'am. Thank you for your help.
- Il est temps de dire au revoir.It is time to say goodbye.
- N'oublie pas de dire au revoir à ta grand-mère.Don't forget to say goodbye to your grandmother.
- Elle a dû dire au revoir très vite.She had to say goodbye very quickly.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are leaving a party at a friend's house.
- GabrielOn doit dire au revoir à tout le monde.We have to say goodbye to everyone.
- LéaTu as raison, Gabriel, on y va.You are right, Gabriel, let's go.
- GabrielJe vais dire au revoir à l'hôte d'abord.I am going to say goodbye to the host first.
- LéaD'accord, je t'attends devant la porte.Okay, I'll wait for you by the door.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dire, revoir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
