What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition au (to the) and the noun revoir (seeing again/meeting again), literally translating to "to the seeing again".
Which one should you use?
If you specifically mean "see you soon" rather than a general "until we meet again," use à bientôt instead of au revoir.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
au revoir is the standard way to say goodbye. For a common informal alternative used with friends and family, you can use salut, which can mean both "hi" and "bye".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the informal expression à la prochaine is used to mean "until next time". In Belgium, the phrase à tout à l'heure is commonly used in informal settings to convey "see you soon" or "until later".
How do you pronounce it?
/o ʁə.vwaʁ/
When do people say it?
There are several ways to express different types of parting: à bientôt is a common and versatile way to say "until we meet again," while the informal à plus is a casual way of saying "see you" or "until later".
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'goodbye', which is a contraction of 'God be with ye', au revoir focuses entirely on the future action of meeting again rather than a blessing.
- While au revoir is the standard, you might hear the Slavic equivalent 'do svidaniya' in Russian, which uses a nearly identical concept of 'until the seeing' to signal a goodbye.
- In very formal French settings, such as a business meeting or a royal audience, one might say au plaisir de vous revoir, which elevates the phrase to 'with the pleasure of seeing you again'.
Examples in context
- Au revoir, tout le monde !Goodbye, everyone!
- Je dois partir, au revoir.I must go, goodbye.
- Au revoir et bonne journée.Goodbye and have a good day.
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are leaving a cafe after lunch.
- NathanMerci pour le déjeuner, Emma.Thanks for lunch, Emma.
- EmmaDe rien, Nathan. Au revoir !You're welcome, Nathan. Goodbye!
- NathanAu revoir, à bientôt.Goodbye, see you soon.
- EmmaÀ bientôt !See you soon!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry au revoir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries au revoir, revoir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
