Tạm biệt
everyday, neutral
"Tam biet" is written Tạm biệt with tone marks and means "goodbye" in Vietnamese. For "see you again" say Hẹn gặp lại, and a quick Chào works as a casual hello or bye.
Meaning: goodbye (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | Note |
|---|---|
| Tạm biệt | everyday, neutral |
| Chào | casual |
| Hẹn gặp lại | friendly |
Tạm biệt is the standard goodbye and fits shops, work and friends. Add the person's title or name to be polite, as in Tạm biệt cô.
What does it mean word for word?
Tạm means "temporary" and biệt means "to part", so Tạm biệt is close to "parting for a while".
How do you pronounce it?
Vietnamese is tonal. The dot under ạ and ệ marks a low heavy tone, so the word is said with a short, falling voice.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Without the tone marks, "tam biet" can look like other words. Keep Tạm biệt with its marks when you write it.
Did you know?
- The word biệt appears in other Sino-Vietnamese terms for parting, such as chia biệt and từ biệt.
Examples in context
- Tạm biệt cô, em về nhé.Goodbye, teacher, I am heading home.
- Chào bạn, mai gặp nhé.Bye, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Mai and Lan finish coffee in Hanoi and say goodbye.
- MaiMuộn rồi, mình về nhé.It is late, I am heading home.
- LanỪ, tạm biệt Mai.Okay, goodbye Mai.
- MaiTạm biệt, hẹn gặp lại.Goodbye, see you again.
