French · Greetings & Essentials
"Goodbye" in French: au revoir
au revoir
Goodbye in French is usually au revoir (oh ruh-VWAHR). With friends you can say salut or à bientôt. In the evening, bonne soirée works well when you leave.
Leaving a shop
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How to pronounce au revoir
Say it
oh ruh-VWAHR
/o ʁə.vwaʁ/
Say oh ruh-VWAHR. The r sounds are soft and French. The last syllable carries a light stress. Link the words smoothly: oh-ruh-VWAHR.
"Goodbye" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| au revoir | goodbye Safe with anyone: shops, work, strangers, and friends. | Safe with anyone: shops, work, strangers, and friends. |
| salut | bye / hi Casual with friends. Same word for hello and goodbye. | Casual with friends. Same word for hello and goodbye. |
| à bientôt | see you soon Friendly when you expect to meet again soon. | Friendly when you expect to meet again soon. |
| bonne soirée | have a nice evening Common when leaving in the evening. | Common when leaving in the evening. |
| à demain | see you tomorrow Use when you will see the person the next day. | Use when you will see the person the next day. |
How to use au revoir in real life
- 1Leaving a shop
Au revoir, madame !
Goodbye, ma'am!
Au revoir plus madame or monsieur is the polite shop exit.
- 2Parting from a friend
Au revoir, à bientôt !
Goodbye, see you soon!
Au revoir plus à bientôt feels warm with friends too.
- 3End of an evening visit
Bonne soirée et au revoir !
Have a nice evening, and goodbye!
Bonne soirée wishes them well for the rest of the evening.
Mistakes English speakers make with au revoir
Incorrect: Bonne nuit ! (leaving a café at 7 p.m.)
Correct: Bonne soirée ! / Au revoir !
Bonne nuit is for bedtime. In the evening when leaving a place, use bonne soirée or au revoir.
Incorrect: Adieu ! (to a colleague you will see Monday)
Correct: Au revoir ! / À lundi !
Adieu sounds final, like a long goodbye. Keep it for rare, dramatic farewells.
Good to know
French goodbyes often stack a wish and a farewell: bonne journée, au revoir. In small shops, saying only the wish without au revoir still feels complete. Adieu is rare in daily life and can sound overly final.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Leaving a language class in Montpellier
ChatPal
On a bien travaillé aujourd'hui. Au revoir !
We worked well today. Goodbye!
You
Au revoir ! À la semaine prochaine.
Goodbye! See you next week.
ChatPal
Oui, à lundi. Bonne soirée !
Yes, see you Monday. Have a nice evening!
You
Merci, à vous aussi. Salut !
Thanks, you too. Bye!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Goodbye" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Goodbye" in French
Is au revoir formal?
It is neutral, not stiff. You can use it with friends, colleagues, and strangers.
Can salut mean goodbye?
Yes. With people you call tu, salut works for both hello and bye.
What is the difference between bonne soirée and bonne nuit?
Bonne soirée means have a nice evening. Bonne nuit means good night and fits bedtime.
When do people say adieu?
Almost never in everyday talk. It suggests a final farewell, so prefer au revoir.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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