Goodbye in GermanSay Bye To Not Saying Tschüß Correctly

How do you say goodbye in German? There are a few ways, some less formal than others. Let's see when to say what!

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01.12.2023

Saying goodbye in German can seem daunting for those who are unfamiliar with the language, but there are many different ways of saying goodbye in German depending on the situation and the people involved.

Here we will break down the five most common and popular ways of saying goodbye in German.

How to Say Goodbye in German

Learning how to say goodbye in German is one of the first things beginner students will want to learn, as it's a polite gesture that comes up in pretty much every conversation (usually near the end of that conversation 😅).

Knowing it will come up, it's clever to make sure to know how to say bye in German. It's of course also a great way to practice your German and make a good impression.

Having multiple ways to say goodbye is also great because it gives you the opportunity to be creative and show off your German language skills. You can choose the phrase that best fits the situation, or surprise people with something unexpected. Whether it's a formal or informal setting, you'll be able to find the right phrase to say goodbye.

1. Tschüß

The most commonly used way to say goodbye in German is "Tschüß". This is a very informal way of saying goodbye, and it is usually used among friends and family. It is similar to "Bye" in English.

Danke für den schönen Abend! Wir sehen uns ja dann morgen in der Uni. Tschüß!


Thanks for the beautiful evening. We'll see each other tomorrow at uni. Bye!

2. Bis bald

This is another informal way of saying goodbye in German, and it is used to say that you will see the person again soon. It is quite similar to "See you soon" in English:

Es war echt toll dich nach so langer Zeit mal wieder zu sehen! Ich hoffe, wir machen das bald wieder. Bis bald!

3. Auf Wiedersehen

This is a more formal way of saying goodbye in German, and it is used when saying goodbye to someone you may not see for a while. It is similar to "Goodbye" in English. For example: "Auf Wiedersehen, meine Freundin!" (Goodbye, my friend!).

Vielen Dank, Herr Meier. Wir melden uns, falls wir Interesse haben sollten, einen der Staubsauger zu kaufen. Auf Wiedersehen.

4. Hau rein

This is an informal and cheerful way of saying goodbye in German, and it is usually used among close friends. It is similar to "Take care" in English. For example: "Hau rein, mein Sohn!" (Take care, my son!).

Ich gehe jetzt schlafen, ich bin total kaputt! Wir sehen uns morgen in der Schule! Hau rein, Sahil.

5. Mach's gut

This is another informal and cheerful way of saying goodbye in German, and it is usually used among close friends. It is similar to "Take care" in English. For example: "Mach's gut, meine Freundin!" (Take care, my friend!).

Danke dass du mich noch nach Hause gebracht hast. Komm gut nach Hause! Mach's gut.

6. Ciao

This is an informal and cheerful way of saying goodbye in German, and it is usually used among close friends. It is similar to "Bye" in English. For example: "Ciao, mein Freund!" (Bye, my friend!).

Danke für den Kaffee. Nächstes Mal bezahle ich. Ciao!

6. Bis dann

Hat echt Spaß gemacht heute Abend! Wir sehen uns ja dann morgen auf der Arbeit. Bis dann!

These are all great ways of saying goodbye in German depending on the situation and the people involved. It is important to remember that many of these expressions have different levels of formality, so be sure to choose the right one depending on the context. Regardless of which expression you choose, saying goodbye in German is a great way to show your friends that you care and that you are thinking of them.

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