bis bald
/bɪs balt/
The English phrase "so long" can be translated into German as bis bald.
bis bald is a casual way of saying goodbye when you expect to see the person again soon.
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 is used when the specific time of the next meeting is unknown, you should use bis dann (until then) if a specific time or event for the next meeting has already been established.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bis bald is an informal expression used among friends, family or acquaintances.
Did you know?
- The German word bald is a distant relative of the English word 'bold'. While bald now means 'soon', its ancient ancestor referred to a sense of bravery or strength.
- Depending on the region, a German might say bis gleich instead of bis bald. This specifically implies that you will see the person again within the next few minutes or hours.
- Using bis bald in a professional setting with a superior could be seen as overly familiar. In such cases, Germans prefer the formal Auf Wiedersehen to maintain social distance.
Examples in context
- Bis bald!So long!
- Ich gehe jetzt, bis bald.I'm leaving now, so long.
- Wir sehen uns, bis bald.We will see each other, so long.
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are leaving a coffee shop after meeting for a quick chat.
- LukasEs war schön, dich zu sehen.It was nice seeing you.
- SarahJa, das war es. Bis bald, Lukas!Yes, it was. So long, Lukas!
- LukasBis bald, Sarah!So long, Sarah!
- SarahTschüss!Bye!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bis bald, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bald, bis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
