またね
mata ne[ma̠ta̠ ne̞]
The English phrase "see ya later" is translated into Japanese as またね (mata ne).
またね is an informal way to say goodbye when you expect to see the person again. Other casual variations include じゃね, which means "See ya!" or "Later!" and じゃまた, which is used among friends and family to say "See you later".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of また (again) and the particle ね, which is a sentence-ending particle used to seek agreement or confirm a shared feeling. Together, they literally mean "see you again, okay?"
Which one should you use?
While またね is a complete casual goodbye, simply saying また is even more clipped and is often used when the speaker is in a hurry or among very close friends. You can also use じゃまた to mean "See you later".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
またね is an informal phrase and should be used with friends, family or peers rather than superiors or strangers. For a more polite or formal version of "see you later", use また会いましょう.
How do you pronounce it?
mata ne
Did you know?
- While またね is common, Japanese people often avoid saying 'goodbye' in ways that imply a permanent separation, as words like さようなら can sound overly final or like a lasting farewell.
- If you are leaving a workplace, even if you are close with your colleagues, you should avoid またね and instead use お疲れ様でした to acknowledge their hard work.
- While English speakers say 'see you', the Japanese phrase またね avoids the verb 'to see' entirely, focusing instead on the concept of 'again' appearing in the future.
Examples in context
- またね！Mata ne!See ya later!
- じゃあ、またね。Jaa, mata ne.Well, see you later.
- 明日、またね。Ashita, mata ne.See you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Two friends are leaving school.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮くん、またね！Ren-kun, mata ne!See ya later, Ren!
- 蓮 Ren美咲、またね。Misaki, mata ne.See you later, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misakiまた明日ね。Mata ashita ne.See you tomorrow.
- 蓮 Renうん、またね。Un, mata ne.Yeah, see ya.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry またね, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
