Goodbye in German | Say Bye To Not Saying Tschüß Correctly

Goodbye in German

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

Last Updated: 03.08.2025
This article is part of our German blog posts series. Also make sure to check out our German texts and our German vocab lists.

Whether you're leaving a café or ending a phone call, knowing how to say goodbye in German is essential.

In this guide, you'll learn the most common ways to say goodbye in German.

More Than "Tschüss"

Most German learners start with the word tschüss, which is informal and used all the time. But there are many other goodbye expressions in German.

Learning different goodbye phrases will help you to end conversations politely and sound more natural in different settings.

We'll start with the most common expressions.

Common Ways to Say Goodbye in German

These expressions are useful in daily life. They work in casual conversations with friends, family, or people you know well.

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.

Tschüss!

Bye!
Ciao!

Bye! (informal, borrowed from Italian)
Mach’s gut!

Take care!
Bis bald!

See you soon!

Informal Goodbyes

Now let's look at some more informal ways of saying bye:

Bis bald

See you soon
Hau rein!

Take it easy / See you
Mach's gut!

Take care
Ciao

Bye (from Italian)

"Bis bald" is a more 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:

"Hau rein" is an informal and cheerful way of saying goodbye, and it is usually used among close friends. It is similar to "Take care" in English.

Formal and Polite Goodbyes

In professional situations or when speaking to someone you don’t know well, it’s better to use a more polite form. These expressions are appropriate for emails, offices, formal phone calls, and similar settings.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Goodbye.
Auf Wiederhören.

Goodbye (on the phone).
Einen schönen Tag noch.

Have a nice rest of the day.
Ich wünsche Ihnen einen angenehmen Abend.

I wish you a pleasant evening.

"Auf Wiedersehen" is a common, 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.

Regional Variants

Depending on where you are in the German-speaking world, you might hear different goodbye phrases.

Servus
Bye (common in southern Germany and Austria)
Pfiat di
Bye (Austrian/Bavarian dialect, informal)
Ade
Bye (Swabian)

If you're in Bavaria or Austria, servus works both for hello and goodbye. Pfiat di is very informal and means something like "God protect you".

Ending a Conversation Politely

In many situations, especially with strangers or colleagues, it’s good to combine a goodbye with a polite wish or a thank you.

Danke für das Gespräch.

Thank you for the conversation.
Ich wünsche dir einen schönen Tag.

I wish you a nice day.
Ich muss jetzt leider gehen.

Unfortunately, I have to go now.
Wir hören voneinander.

We’ll be in touch.

On the Phone

If you're speaking on the phone in German, the goodbye phrases are slightly different. Auf Wiederhören is the most standard phrase.

Auf Wiederhören.

Goodbye (on the phone).
Danke für Ihren Anruf.

Thank you for your call.
Ich melde mich bald wieder.

I’ll get in touch again soon.

Examples

Let's look at a few examples of how to use these phrases:

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

Take some time to learn the expressions that match your everyday situations. And the next time you leave a café, sign off a phone call, or wrap up a meeting, you’ll know exactly what to say.

Bis bald!

99 German Idioms

Download our free PDF: 99 German words & idioms. Each expression comes with a German example sentence, a translation & useful vocabulary.

Surviving German Winter

In this podcast episode, we'll share our tips on how to endure the bitter German winter. Topics include taking part in traditions like Christmas markets and Krampus walks, winter food and cozy indoor activities.