Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tot later | /tɔt ˈlaː.tər/ (word by word) | |
| tot straks | ||
| tot zo | /tɔt zoː/ (word by word) | |
| zie je later | slang | |
| later | /ˈlaː.tər/ | slang |
| tot binnenkort | /tɔt ˌbɪ.nə(n)ˈkɔrt/ (word by word) |
What does it mean word for word?
In these phrases, tot literally means 'until'.
Which one should you use?
Use tot zo if you expect to see the person again within a very short time, such as a few minutes or hours later the same day. Use tot straks if you will see the person again later on the same day, typically implying a slightly longer interval than tot zo but shorter than tot later. Use tot binnenkort when the next meeting is not necessarily later today, but will happen in the near future.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase zie je later is a more literal verbal construction. For very informal situations or slang, you can use zie je later or simply the single word later, which is similar to how English speakers might just say 'Later!' For formal situations, Tot ziens is a common formal expression to say goodbye in Dutch and Bedankt en tot ziens is a formal and respectful way to say thank you and goodbye. Note that Dag means day in Dutch but is often used casually to mean bye.
How does it change in a sentence?
While tot later is the standard prepositional phrase, zie je later is a more literal verbal construction meaning 'see you later'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of tot later is /tɔt ˈlaː.tər/. The stress is on the 2 of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word straks in tot straks is etymologically related to the English word 'straight', as it comes from the root meaning 'straight' or 'tight'.
- While dag means 'day', it is used as a complete greeting for both 'hello' and 'goodbye'.
- The formal tot ziens literally translates to 'until seeing', treating the act of seeing as a noun.
Examples in context
- Ik zie je later.I'll see you later.This sentence shows the use of the verbal construction zie je later.Tatoeba #6623162 by Raizin, translation #32706 by CK
- Ik zie u later, oké?I'll see you later, OK?This sentence demonstrates how to use the slang form later in a sentence.Tatoeba #5472818 by sdfke1, translation #2546661 by CK
- Tot later!See you later!This sentence provides an example of the standard phrase tot later.Tatoeba #657768 by martinod, translation #360558 by Kazune
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Sophie are leaving a cafe after a short meeting.
- LucasIk moet nu echt gaan.I really have to go now.
- SophieIs goed, tot later, Lucas!Okay, see you later, Lucas!
- LucasDoei, Sophie!Bye, Sophie!
- SophieDag!Bye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you later” translations and entries tot straks, tot zo, later, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tot, later, zo, binnenkort) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries straks, tot, zo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
