Learning how to say “bye” in French can be useful when talking to French-speaking friends, visiting France, or traveling to other French-speaking countries. Saying goodbye properly helps you sound polite and leaves a good impression. French has both formal and informal ways to say “bye,” so you can choose the right phrase depending on the situation.
In this article, you’ll learn common ways to say “bye” in French, from casual expressions to polite farewells. You’ll also see examples of how to respond when someone says “bye” to you. By the end, you’ll be ready to use these phrases confidently in everyday conversations.
Ways to Say Bye in French
French has many ways to say “bye,” depending on how formal or casual the situation is. Here are 25 ways to say “bye” in French, with pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences.
1. Au revoir
Pronunciation: oh ruh-vwahr
Meaning: Goodbye (formal or neutral)
In a Sentence:
- Au revoir, Monsieur Dupont. (Goodbye, Mr. Dupont.)
- Au revoir! À bientôt! (Goodbye! See you soon!)
2. Salut
Pronunciation: sah-lyoo
Meaning: Bye (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Salut, à demain! (Bye, see you tomorrow!)
- Salut, les amis! (Bye, friends!)
3. À bientôt
Pronunciation: ah byan-toh
Meaning: See you soon
In a Sentence:
- À bientôt après les vacances. (See you soon after the vacation.)
- Merci pour la visite, à bientôt! (Thanks for the visit, see you soon!)
4. À plus tard
Pronunciation: ah ploo tahr
Meaning: See you later
In a Sentence:
- À plus tard, Paul! (See you later, Paul!)
- On se parle bientôt. À plus tard! (We’ll talk soon. See you later!)
5. À demain
Pronunciation: ah duh-mahn
Meaning: See you tomorrow
In a Sentence:
- Bonne nuit! À demain! (Good night! See you tomorrow!)
- On a un rendez-vous à 10h. À demain! (We have a meeting at 10. See you tomorrow!)
6. Ciao
Pronunciation: chow
Meaning: Bye (informal, borrowed from Italian)
In a Sentence:
- Ciao, Sophie! (Bye, Sophie!)
- Ciao, à la prochaine! (Bye, see you next time!)
7. À tout à l’heure
Pronunciation: ah toot ah luhr
Meaning: See you soon (same day)
In a Sentence:
- Je vais faire des courses. À tout à l’heure! (I’m going shopping. See you soon!)
- On se voit après le déjeuner. À tout à l’heure! (We’ll see each other after lunch. See you soon!)
8. Adieu
Pronunciation: ah-dyuh
Meaning: Farewell (rare, serious or emotional goodbye)
In a Sentence:
- Adieu, mon ami. (Farewell, my friend.)
- C’était un moment spécial. Adieu. (It was a special moment. Farewell.)
9. Bonsoir
Pronunciation: bon-swahr
Meaning: Good evening (used as goodbye at night)
In a Sentence:
- Bonsoir, à demain! (Good evening, see you tomorrow!)
- Bonsoir, passez une bonne nuit. (Good evening, have a good night.)
10. À la prochaine
Pronunciation: ah lah proh-shen
Meaning: See you next time
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour votre aide, à la prochaine! (Thanks for your help, see you next time!)
- On se retrouve à la prochaine réunion. (We’ll meet at the next meeting.)
11. Bye-bye
Pronunciation: bye-bye
Meaning: Bye (informal, borrowed from English)
In a Sentence:
- Bye-bye, les enfants! (Bye-bye, kids!)
- Merci pour la visite, bye-bye! (Thanks for the visit, bye-bye!)
12. À un de ces jours
Pronunciation: ah uh duh say zhoor
Meaning: See you one of these days
In a Sentence:
- À un de ces jours, peut-être! (See you one of these days, maybe!)
- On se reverra. À un de ces jours! (We’ll meet again. See you one of these days!)
13. Porte-toi bien
Pronunciation: port-twa byan
Meaning: Take care (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Porte-toi bien et à bientôt! (Take care and see you soon!)
- Merci pour tout! Porte-toi bien! (Thanks for everything! Take care!)
14. Prends soin de toi
Pronunciation: prahn swan duh twa
Meaning: Take care (personal)
In a Sentence:
- Prends soin de toi, on se voit bientôt! (Take care, we’ll see each other soon!)
- Prends soin de toi pendant ton voyage! (Take care during your trip!)
15. On se voit bientôt
Pronunciation: ohn suh vwar byan-toh
Meaning: See you soon
In a Sentence:
- On se voit bientôt au match! (See you soon at the game!)
- À plus, on se voit bientôt! (See you soon!)
16. Passe une bonne journée
Pronunciation: pass oon bun zhoor-nay
Meaning: Have a good day
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour votre aide, passe une bonne journée! (Thanks for your help, have a good day!)
- Passe une bonne journée et à plus tard! (Have a good day and see you later!)
17. Je file
Pronunciation: zhuh feel
Meaning: I’m off (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Je file, à demain! (I’m off, see you tomorrow!)
- Il est tard, je file! (It’s late, I’m off!)
18. À toute!
Pronunciation: ah toot
Meaning: See you soon (informal)
In a Sentence:
- À toute, les gars! (See you soon, guys!)
- On se retrouve après le cours. À toute! (We’ll meet after class. See you soon!)
19. À plus!
Pronunciation: ah ploo
Meaning: See you later (informal)
In a Sentence:
- À plus! Je dois partir maintenant. (See you later! I have to leave now.)
- On se parle demain. À plus! (We’ll talk tomorrow. See you later!)
20. Bonne soirée
Pronunciation: bun swah-ray
Meaning: Have a good evening
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour le dîner, bonne soirée! (Thanks for dinner, have a good evening!)
- Passez une bonne soirée et à demain! (Have a good evening and see you tomorrow!)
21. À la revoyure
Pronunciation: ah lah ruh-vwah-yur
Meaning: See you later (old-fashioned, rarely used)
In a Sentence:
- À la revoyure, mon ami! (See you later, my friend!)
- On se reverra bientôt. À la revoyure! (We’ll meet again soon. See you later!)
22. Bon vent
Pronunciation: bon vahn
Meaning: Good riddance (used when parting on bad terms)
In a Sentence:
- Bon vent et bonne chance! (Good riddance and good luck!)
- S’il veut partir, bon vent! (If he wants to leave, good riddance!)
23. Sois prudent(e)
Pronunciation: swah pru-dahn(t)
Meaning: Be careful / Stay safe
In a Sentence:
- Sois prudent sur la route! (Be careful on the road!)
- Sois prudente en voyageant. (Stay safe while traveling.)
24. On se reparle bientôt
Pronunciation: ohn suh ruh-parl byan-toh
Meaning: We’ll talk again soon
In a Sentence:
- On se reparle bientôt après la réunion. (We’ll talk again soon after the meeting.)
- Merci pour votre appel, on se reparle bientôt! (Thanks for your call, we’ll talk again soon!)
25. Reste en contact
Pronunciation: rest ahn kohn-takt
Meaning: Keep in touch
In a Sentence:
- Reste en contact, on se reverra! (Keep in touch, we’ll see each other again!)
- Merci pour la visite, reste en contact! (Thanks for the visit, keep in touch!)
26. À tantôt
Pronunciation: ah tahn-toh
Meaning: See you later (used in some regions of France and Belgium)
In a Sentence:
- À tantôt! Je dois y aller. (See you later! I have to go.)
- Passe une bonne journée, à tantôt! (Have a good day, see you later!)
27. À tout de suite
Pronunciation: ah toot duh sweet
Meaning: See you right away (very soon)
In a Sentence:
- J’arrive! À tout de suite! (I’m coming! See you right away!)
- À tout de suite après le déjeuner! (See you right after lunch!)
28. Bonne continuation
Pronunciation: bun kon-tee-nwah-syohn
Meaning: All the best / Good luck (used when someone is leaving for a long time)
In a Sentence:
- Bonne continuation dans votre carrière! (All the best in your career!)
- Merci pour tout. Bonne continuation! (Thanks for everything. All the best!)
Other Ways to Say Bye in French
Here is a table with additional ways to say “bye” in French, including their pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| À bientôt | ah byan-toh | See you soon | À bientôt après les vacances. (See you soon after the vacation.) |
| Salut | sah-lyoo | Bye (informal) | Salut, à demain! (Bye, see you tomorrow!) |
| Ciao | chow | Bye (informal, from Italian) | Ciao, à la prochaine! (Bye, see you next time!) |
| Au plaisir | oh pleh-zeer | Until next time (formal) | Au plaisir de vous revoir! (Until next time!) |
| À plus | ah ploo | See you later (informal) | À plus, on se voit demain! (See you later, we’ll see each other tomorrow!) |
| Prends soin de toi | prahn swan duh twa | Take care | Prends soin de toi et repose-toi bien! (Take care and rest well!) |
| On se reparle bientôt | ohn suh ruh-parl byan-toh | We’ll talk again soon | On se reparle après le travail. (We’ll talk again after work.) |
| Bon vent | bon vahn | Good riddance (informal) | S’il veut partir, bon vent! (If he wants to leave, good riddance!) |
| Reste en contact | rest ahn kohn-takt | Keep in touch | Merci pour la visite, reste en contact! (Thanks for the visit, keep in touch!) |
| À tout à l’heure | ah toot ah luhr | See you soon (same day) | Je vais faire des courses. À tout à l’heure! (I’m going shopping. See you soon!) |
Response to “Bye” in French
When someone says “bye” in French, you can respond with polite or casual phrases depending on the situation. Here are some common responses:
1. À bientôt
Pronunciation: ah byan-toh
Meaning: See you soon
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Au revoir! (Goodbye!)
Person 2: À bientôt! (See you soon!)
2. À plus!
Pronunciation: ah ploo
Meaning: See you later (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Salut! (Bye!)
Person 2: À plus! (See you later!)
3. À demain
Pronunciation: ah duh-mahn
Meaning: See you tomorrow
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Passe une bonne soirée! (Have a good evening!)
Person 2: À demain! (See you tomorrow!)
4. Toi aussi!
Pronunciation: twa oh-see
Meaning: You too!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Prends soin de toi! (Take care!)
Person 2: Toi aussi! (You too!)
5. Bon voyage!
Pronunciation: bon vwah-yahzh
Meaning: Have a good trip!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je pars en vacances. (I’m going on vacation.)
Person 2: Bon voyage! (Have a good trip!)
6. Merci, pareillement
Pronunciation: mehr-see, pah-ray-yeh-mahn
Meaning: Thank you, same to you
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Passe une bonne journée! (Have a good day!)
Person 2: Merci, pareillement! (Thank you, same to you!)
7. À tout à l’heure
Pronunciation: ah toot ah luhr
Meaning: See you soon (same day)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je vais chercher un café. (I’m going to grab a coffee.)
Person 2: À tout à l’heure! (See you soon!)
8. Avec plaisir!
Pronunciation: ah-vek pleh-zeer
Meaning: With pleasure!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Merci pour tout! (Thank you for everything!)
Person 2: Avec plaisir! (With pleasure!)
9. Bonne chance!
Pronunciation: bun shahns
Meaning: Good luck!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai un examen demain. (I have an exam tomorrow.)
Person 2: Bonne chance! (Good luck!)
10. À la prochaine!
Pronunciation: ah lah proh-shen
Meaning: See you next time!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Merci pour la soirée! (Thanks for the evening!)
Person 2: À la prochaine! (See you next time!)
11. Ciao!
Pronunciation: chow
Meaning: Bye (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: À bientôt! (See you soon!)
Person 2: Ciao! (Bye!)
12. Je file!
Pronunciation: zhuh feel
Meaning: I’m off!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On se voit plus tard? (See you later?)
Person 2: Oui, je file! (Yes, I’m off!)
13. Bon week-end!
Pronunciation: bon wee-kend
Meaning: Have a good weekend!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: À lundi! (See you Monday!)
Person 2: Bon week-end! (Have a good weekend!)
14. Reste en contact!
Pronunciation: rest ahn kohn-takt
Meaning: Keep in touch!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On déménage à Paris. (We’re moving to Paris.)
Person 2: Reste en contact! (Keep in touch!)
15. Bonsoir!
Pronunciation: bon-swahr
Meaning: Good evening / Goodbye (used at night)
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Merci pour le dîner! (Thanks for dinner!)
Person 2: Bonsoir et à bientôt! (Good evening and see you soon!)
16. À tout de suite!
Pronunciation: ah toot duh sweet
Meaning: See you right away
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je descends à la voiture. (I’m going down to the car.)
Person 2: D’accord, à tout de suite! (Okay, see you right away!)
17. Porte-toi bien!
Pronunciation: port-twa byan
Meaning: Take care!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je pars pour l’aéroport. (I’m leaving for the airport.)
Person 2: Porte-toi bien et bon voyage! (Take care and have a good trip!)
18. On se reparle bientôt!
Pronunciation: ohn suh ruh-parl byan-toh
Meaning: We’ll talk again soon!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Merci pour l’appel. (Thanks for the call.)
Person 2: On se reparle bientôt! (We’ll talk again soon!)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Bye” in French
Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct French farewell phrases. After completing the exercise, check your answers below. Each sentence is entirely in French, with the meaning provided.
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences
- Je vais au marché. __________ ! (I’m going to the market. See you soon!)
- Merci pour le dîner. __________ ! (Thanks for dinner. Have a good evening!)
- C’était une bonne réunion. __________ ! (It was a good meeting. See you next time!)
- Nous devons partir maintenant. __________ ! (We have to leave now. Bye!)
- À demain, et __________ ! (See you tomorrow, and take care!)
- L’école est finie pour aujourd’hui. __________ ! (School is over for today. See you tomorrow!)
- J’ai un vol tôt demain. __________ ! (I have an early flight tomorrow. Have a good trip!)
- Merci pour votre aide. __________ ! (Thank you for your help. See you soon!)
- Je vais chercher un café. __________ ! (I’m going to grab a coffee. See you soon!)
- On part en vacances. __________ ! (We are going on vacation. Good luck!)
- Il est tard, je dois rentrer. __________ ! (It’s late; I have to go home. Bye!)
- Merci pour votre visite. __________ ! (Thanks for your visit. Keep in touch!)
Answers
- À tout à l’heure! (See you soon!)
- Bonne soirée! (Have a good evening!)
- À la prochaine! (See you next time!)
- Salut! (Bye!)
- Prends soin de toi! (Take care!)
- À demain! (See you tomorrow!)
- Bon voyage! (Have a good trip!)
- À bientôt! (See you soon!)
- À tout à l’heure! (See you soon!)
- Bonne chance! (Good luck!)
- Ciao! (Bye!)
- Reste en contact! (Keep in touch!)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “bye” in French helps you communicate politely and confidently in various situations. Whether you are leaving a formal meeting, chatting with friends, or saying farewell at the airport, knowing the right phrase can make your conversations smoother.
From common expressions like Au revoir and À bientôt to informal farewells like Salut and Ciao, French offers many ways to say goodbye.
Practice using these phrases regularly, and soon saying “bye” in French will feel natural and effortless. Keep exploring more French words and phrases to enhance your language skills!