Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"Goodbye" in Portuguese: tchau
tchau
Note: formal or final: adeus
Everyday goodbye in Brazil is tchau, a friendly wave-off borrowed from Italian ciao. For a more final farewell, people say adeus. Soft closings like até logo and até mais keep the door open.
Leaving a party
Tchau, gente! Foi ótimo ver vocês.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tchau
Say it
chow / ah-DEH-oos
/ˈtʃaw/
Tchau sounds like "chow" with a soft ch. Adeus is ah-DEH-oos, with stress on deh.
"Goodbye" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tchau | bye, goodbye Default Brazilian goodbye with friends, family, and casual service. | Default Brazilian goodbye with friends, family, and casual service. |
| adeus | goodbye (final) Heavier farewell when you may not meet again soon. | Heavier farewell when you may not meet again soon. |
| até logo | see you soon Friendly closing when you expect to meet again. | Friendly closing when you expect to meet again. |
| até mais | see you later Very common Brazilian goodbye among peers. | Very common Brazilian goodbye among peers. |
| fui | I'm off Ultra-casual exit among close friends in Brazil. | Ultra-casual exit among close friends in Brazil. |
How to use tchau in real life
- 1Leaving a party
Tchau, gente! Foi ótimo ver vocês.
Bye, everyone! It was great to see you.
Gente softens the goodbye toward a whole group.
- 2Ending a call
Tá bom, tchau! A gente se fala amanhã.
Alright, bye! We'll talk tomorrow.
A gente se fala warmly promises another chat.
- 3A longer farewell
Tchau, professor. Obrigado por tudo este ano.
Bye, teacher. Thank you for everything this year.
Tchau still works for a warm year-end goodbye; adeus sounds more final.
Mistakes English speakers make with tchau
Incorrect: Ciao! (Italian spelling in Portuguese text)
Correct: Tchau!
Portuguese writes the Brazilian goodbye as tchau, even though it comes from Italian ciao.
Incorrect: Adeus! (every casual exit)
Correct: Tchau! or Até logo!
Adeus can sound final or dramatic in daily chat. Save it for bigger goodbyes.
Good to know
Brazilians often stack soft closings: tchau, beijo, se cuida, até mais. A goodbye can take a minute at the door. In Portugal you will also hear adeus more casually than in Brazil.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Leaving a coworker's birthday lunch
ChatPal
Já vai embora? A festa ainda está começando!
Are you leaving already? The party is just starting!
You
Tenho reunião daqui a pouco. Tchau, pessoal!
I have a meeting soon. Bye, everyone!
ChatPal
Tchau! Até segunda no escritório.
Bye! See you Monday at the office.
You
Até mais! Foi um almoço ótimo.
See you later! It was a great lunch.
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 Portuguese
Is tchau rude at work?
Not in Brazil. Tchau is fine with teammates. For a formal client meeting, até logo or até breve sounds safer.
What does até logo literally mean?
Until soon. It promises another meeting without naming when.
When should I use adeus?
Use adeus for a lasting farewell, travel send-offs, or emotional goodbyes. For coffee with friends, stick to tchau.
How do Portuguese people say goodbye?
They understand tchau, and many use it. Adeus and até já are also common day-to-day closings in Portugal.
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
