Translation guide
Ways to say goodbye in Japanese, from casual to formal, including set phrases and situational expressions.
Saying goodbye to friends, family, or in informal situations.
Very common casual goodbye, like 'see you' or 'bye'.
じゃあね、また明日。
Bye, see you tomorrow.
Casual 'bye-bye', used especially by younger people or with close friends.
バイバイ、気をつけてね。
Bye-bye, take care.
Literally 'again, right?', meaning 'see you later'.
またね、楽しかったよ。
See you, that was fun.
Saying goodbye in polite or neutral situations, such as with acquaintances, colleagues, or in public.
Standard polite 'goodbye', but can sound a bit formal or final. Often used in schools or when parting for a long time.
さようなら、お元気で。
Goodbye, take care.
Literally 'excuse me for leaving', used when leaving a room, office, or before hanging up the phone in a business context.
お先に失礼します。
Excuse me for leaving before you.
Polite 'well then, see you'. A softer, more common alternative to さようなら.
では、また来週。
Well then, see you next week.
Used in formal speeches, letters, or when parting for a long time.
Very formal and somewhat old-fashioned farewell, literally 'be in good spirits'. Used in high society or traditional settings.
ごきげんよう、またお会いしましょう。
Farewell, let us meet again.
Archaic or poetic 'farewell', rarely used in modern speech except for dramatic effect.
さらば、愛しき人よ。
Farewell, my beloved.
Said when leaving one's own house or a place temporarily, implying a return.
Said when leaving home, literally 'I'm going and coming back'. The response is 行ってらっしゃい.
行ってきます！
I'm off! (See you later)
Response to 行ってきます, meaning 'go and come back safely'.
行ってらっしゃい、気をつけてね。
See you later, take care.
Referring to a farewell event or present.
Farewell party, often held for a colleague leaving a job.
来週、田中さんの送別会があります。
There's a farewell party for Mr. Tanaka next week.
Farewell gift, often money given to someone departing on a journey or leaving a job.
さようなら can sound overly dramatic or final in daily casual situations. For everyday partings, use じゃあね, バイバイ, or またね with friends, and 失礼します or では、また in polite contexts.
行ってきます is used when leaving home or a familiar place with the intention of returning soon. さようなら is a more general goodbye, often implying a longer separation.
学校に行ってきます。
I'm off to school.
さようなら、また会う日まで。
Goodbye, until we meet again.
彼女のために送別会を開きました。
We held a farewell party for her.
餞別として時計を贈った。
I gave a watch as a farewell gift.