bis bald
/bɪs balt/
In German, 'see you soon' is said as bis bald.
The phrase bis bald is used as an interjection to bid farewell when you expect to see the person again in the near future, though the exact timing is not specified.
Meaning: goodbye (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition bis (until) and the adverb bald (soon).
Which one should you use?
While bis bald implies an indefinite time in the near future, bis später is used specifically when you intend to see the person again later on the same day. Additionally, bis demnächst can be used as a slightly more formal alternative to express that you will see someone again soon.
Did you know?
- While the German word bald means 'soon', it shares the same ancient root as the English word 'bold'.
- If you use bis bald with a stranger, it can sound unexpectedly intimate, as it implies a certain level of social familiarity and a guaranteed future encounter.
- While bis bald is used for the near future, Germans use bis gleich when they expect to see the person again in just a few minutes or hours.
Examples in context
- Danke und bis bald!Thanks and see you soon!The first sentence shows how to use bis bald when expressing thanks.Tatoeba #8447664 by Luiaard, translation #10250269 by Rawrren
- Sie sagte: "Bis bald.""See you soon," she said.The second sentence shows bis bald used within a direct quote.Tatoeba #1419211 by Vortarulo, translation #8859132 by sundown
- Dann bis bald.See you soon then.The third sentence shows bis bald used at the end of a closing statement.Tatoeba #10117808 by wolfgangth, translation #8472260 by shekitten
- Mach's gut! Bis später!Take care! See you later!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are leaving a coffee shop.
- LukasIch muss jetzt gehen. Bis bald!I have to go now. See you soon!
- JuliaJa, bis bald, Lukas.Yes, see you soon, Lukas.
- LukasHast du morgen Zeit?Do you have time tomorrow?
- JuliaVielleicht. Mach's gut!Maybe. Take care!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you soon” translations and entries bis bald, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bald, bis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
