à bientôt, mon ami
The English phrase "see you soon, my friend" is translated into French as à bientôt, mon ami.
This phrase is a friendly way to say goodbye when you expect to meet the person again in a short time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of à (to/at), bientôt (soon), mon (my) and ami (friend).
Which one should you use?
Use à bientôt when you expect to see the person again soon. In contrast, à tout à l'heure is used specifically if you are seeing them again later the same day.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding mon ami makes the phrase feel warm and personal, suitable for friends rather than professional acquaintances. Other informal variations include À plus, mon pote (See you later, my buddy), On se revoit bientôt, mon ami(e) (We'll see each other soon, my friend) and À tout à l'heure, mon pote (See you in a little while, my buddy).
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to a female friend, you change the masculine ami to the feminine amie to say à bientôt, mon amie.
Did you know?
- While mon ami is very warm, using it with a stranger in a shop might feel overly intimate or even suspicious. In modern France, adding 'my friend' to a goodbye is usually reserved for people you actually know well.
- The word bientôt is a combination of bien (very) and tôt (early), literally meaning 'very early'.
- The word ami shares the same Latin root as the English word 'amicable'. Both come from the Latin 'amicus', meaning 'friend'.
Examples in context
- Je dois partir maintenant. À bientôt, mon ami.I have to leave now. See you soon, my friend.
- À bientôt, cher ami. Bonne journée!See you soon, dear friend. Have a great day!
- On se voit demain, à bientôt, mon ami.We are seeing each other tomorrow, see you soon, my friend.
- Allez, à bientôt, mon ami !Alright, see you soon, my friend!
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are leaving a cafe.
- LucasMerci pour le café, Léa.Thanks for the coffee, Léa.
- LéaDe rien, Lucas. À demain !You're welcome, Lucas. See you tomorrow!
- LucasOui, à bientôt, mon ami.Yes, see you soon, my friend.
- LéaBonne soirée !Have a good evening!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, bientôt, mon, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
