Are you planning a trip to another country and want to be able to communicate, even on a basic level. Kick off your journey by learning how to say bye in different languages.
I have to confess, I’m really bad at learning new languages which is even worse because I grew up in Cyprus and Germany. We lived on an Army base and everything around me was in English so I just didn’t need to learn. Plus I was a kid so it wasn’t something I even thought about.
It’s a massive regret that I didn’t use that experience to become fluent in another language so now I always try to learn some of the language for all of the countries I travel to.
We get the kids involved in this and do it together as a family. We keep it simple and stick to basic phrases like thank you, hello, please, yes and no or counting 1 – 10.
Being able to speak even a few phrases in their language shows respect and immerses you into the culture you’re visiting. The kids really enjoy getting to speak a different language and it’s a great way to get kids involved in the planning for a trip. We’ve always received a warm welcome from locals, especially when it’s the kids saying au revoir or zàijiàn.
What’s in this post?
In this post you can learn how to say bye in different languages. From Spanish to Arabic we cover the spelling and pronunciation so you can be totally prepared for your travels.
Did you know that there are more than 7000 languages and over half of the world’s population speak just 23 of them? We’ve cut this list down to 12 popular languages to learn according to the 2024 Duolingo Language Report, Babbels article on the 10 most spoken languages in the world, and the most spoken languages worldwide according to Statista.
If there’s a language on this list you need to learn first you can skip straight there by clicking on that section in the contents below. If you’re just interested in learning different languages, then scroll down to learn how to say bye in different languages
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Arabic: maʿa as-salāmah
When saying bye in Arabic, one of the most commonly used phrases is “maʿa as-salāmah”. You can also use “Alwadae” for a more formal way of saying bye.
Arabic is spoken by more than 310 million native speakers, primarily across North Africa and the Middle East, with Modern Standard Arabic being most widely used in writing and formal speech.
How to pronounce Maʿa as-salāmah: ma-a as-sa-laa-ma
Bengali: bidāẏa
When saying bye in Bengali (or Bangla), one of the most commonly used phrases is “bidāẏa”. You can also use “abar dekha hobe” which translates to “see you again”.
Bengali is spoken by more than 230 million people worldwide, primarily in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
How to pronounce Bidāẏa: bee-dye
English: bye
When saying bye in English, one of the most commonly used phrases is “bye”. You can also use “see you later” in more informal settings or “goodbye” for more formal.
English is spoken by over 1.5 billion people worldwide. It’s the most widely spoken and recognised language in the world so learning basic phrases in English can be useful in communicating with different people around the world.
How to pronounce Bye: bi
French: au revoir
When saying bye in French, one of the most commonly used phrases is “au revoir”. Which means “Until we see each other again”
French is spoken by more than 275 million people worldwide, widely spoken across France, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Canada, and many countries in Africa.
How to pronounce Au revoir: oo rev-was
German: tschüss
When saying bye in German, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Tschüss”. You can also use “Auf Wiedersehen in more formal situations.
German is spoken by more than 95 million people worldwide, primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Belgium and Luxembourg.
How to pronounce Tschüss: ch-uss
Hindi: alavida
When saying bye in Hindi, one of the most commonly used phrases is “alavida”. You can also use the more informal “Phir milenge”.
Hindi is spoken by over 600 million people worldwide, primarily in northern and central India, but due to Bollywood and Indian communities around the world its influence is global.
How to pronounce Alavida: al-vee-daa
Italian: ciao
When saying bye in Italian, one of the most commonly used phrases is “ciao” which is a common greeting for hello and goodbye making it the perfect greeting!
Italian is spoken by around 67 million people worldwide, primarily in Italy and parts of Switzerland.
How to pronounce Ciao: chow
Japanese: sayonara
When saying bye in Japanese, one of the most commonly used phrases is “sayonara”. You can also use “Ja ne!” among friends
Japanese is spoken by over 125 million people almost exclusively in Japan. Japanese culture places a lot of importance on politeness and respect so if you’re not sure which greeting to use it’s best to observe and follow the lead of how the locals greet each other.
How to pronounce Sayonara: sah-yoh-nah-rah
Korean: annyeong
When saying bye in Korean, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Annyeong”. You can also use “Annyeonghi gaseyo” to be more formal.
Korean is spoken by more than 77 million people worldwide, mostly spoken across South and North Korea but also in Korean communities around the world.
How to pronounce Annyeong: an-neung
Mandarin Chinese: zàijiàn
When saying bye in Mandarin, one of the most commonly used phrases is “Zàijiàn”.
Mandarin is spoken by over 920 million people worldwide. Although it’s primarily spoken in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. and is the most spoken language in the world.
How to pronounce Zàijiàn: dzai-jyen
Portuguese: tchau
When saying bye in Portuguese, one of the most commonly used phrases is “tchau”. You can also use “adeus”.
Portuguese is spoken by more than 220 million people worldwide and is mostly spoken in Portugal and Brazil with a few other countries
How to pronounce Tchau: chow
Spanish: adiós
When saying bye in Spanish, one of the most commonly used phrases is “adiós”. You can also use “hasta luego” which is more informal “see you later”.
Spanish is spoken by more than 485 million people making it the second most spoken language by native speakers. It’s widely spoken across not only Spain but also South and Central America including Mexico, Argentina and Puerto Rico.
How to pronounce adiós: ah-dee-os
Summary : bye in different languages
We find learning even small basic parts of a new language as a family a rewarding experience and as a plus it makes travel more engaging and educational for your kids.
It doesn’t take much effort but it’s so worth it because it shows respect for the culture in the country you’re visiting.
Saying “bye” might seem like a small gesture, but mastering a few local greetings is a small effort that makes a big impact when traveling.
