Casual goodbyes — for friends, classmates, and everyday life
These are the goodbyes you'll use constantly once you're speaking German day to day. None of them are rude — they're simply informal, the German equivalent of "bye" or "see ya."
- Tschüss (CHUESS) — the default casual goodbye. Works with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues you're on first-name terms with.
- Tschüssi (CHUESS-ee) — a softer, slightly cuter version of Tschüss, common among younger speakers and close friends.
- Ciao (CHOW) — borrowed from Italian, very common in casual spoken German, especially among younger people.
- Mach's gut (MAKHS goot) — literally "do it well," roughly "take care." Warm and friendly.
- Bis dann / Bis später — "see you then" / "see you later," used when you know you'll meet again soon.
Formal goodbyes — for work, strangers, and polite situations
When you're unsure which register to use, "Auf Wiedersehen" is always a safe, polite choice — similar to how "goodbye" works more formally than "bye" in English.
- Auf Wiedersehen (OWF VEE-der-zayn) — the standard formal goodbye, used with shopkeepers, in offices, with people you address as "Sie," or anyone you don't know well.
- Auf Wiederhören (OWF VEE-der-hur-en) — the phone-call equivalent of Auf Wiedersehen, since you're not "seeing" the other person, you're "hearing" them. Used at the end of business calls.
- Ich verabschiede mich — a more formal way of saying "I'll take my leave now," used before actually saying goodbye in a meeting or gathering.
Time-specific goodbyes
| German | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Bis bald | See you soon | You expect to meet again reasonably soon |
| Bis morgen | See you tomorrow | You're meeting again the next day |
| Bis nächste Woche | See you next week | A specific future meeting, e.g. next class |
| Gute Nacht | Good night | Late in the evening, before sleep |
Regional variations
German has strong regional flavor, and goodbyes are no exception. In Bavaria and Austria, you'll hear "Servus" used as both hello and goodbye — a warm, informal greeting that works either way. In Switzerland, "Ade" or "Tschau" are common. In northern Germany, the all-purpose "Moin" (also used as a greeting) sometimes doubles as a casual sign-off among locals.
A quick rule of thumb
If you're speaking to someone you'd address with "du" (informal you) — friends, classmates, people your age — use Tschüss. If you're speaking to someone you'd address with "Sie" (formal you) — your boss, a stranger, an official — use Auf Wiedersehen. Getting this distinction right, along with basic greetings, is one of the very first things covered in our German A1 course.
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