Goodbye in German · with audio

Goodbye in German: Auf Wiedersehen, Tschüss, and Bis bald

Goodbye

Auf Wiedersehen

Goodbye in German is Auf Wiedersehen. It is formal and it is the one you will hear at the end of a phone call with an office or when leaving a hotel. In everyday life most Germans say Tschüss (bye), which works with friends, family, and, these days, with shop staff as well.

The list below has the common ways to say goodbye, the "see you" forms with Bis, the regional goodbyes you will hear in the south and in Austria, and audio for every phrase. It also explains the one mistake almost every learner makes: using Gute Nacht as a goodbye.

Ways to say goodbye in German

Auf Wiedersehen and Tschüss cover almost every situation. The Bis forms add a time and mean "see you soon" or "see you then". The last three are regional and you will hear them more than you will say them.

How to reply to a goodbye

You usually answer a goodbye with the same word or with a short "you too". Dir auch is informal, Ihnen auch is formal.

German	English	Note
Tschüss The reply to Tschüss is Tschüss	Bye	The reply to Tschüss is Tschüss
Bis dann	See you then
Dir auch / Ihnen auch The reply to Schönen Tag noch. Dir is informal, Ihnen is formal	You too	The reply to Schönen Tag noch. Dir is informal, Ihnen is formal
Danke, gleichfalls A little more polite than Dir auch	Thanks, same to you	A little more polite than Dir auch
Mach's gut Informal	Take care	Informal

Example sentences

Auf Wiedersehen und vielen Dank!
Goodbye and thank you very much!
Tschüss, bis morgen!
Bye, see you tomorrow!
Schönen Tag noch! Danke, gleichfalls.
Have a nice day! Thanks, you too.
Ich muss jetzt los. Mach's gut!
I have to go now. Take care!
Bis später, wir sehen uns um acht.
See you later, we will meet at eight.
Auf Wiederhören, Frau Müller.
Goodbye, Mrs Müller. (on the phone)

Good to know

Tschüss is fine in shops

Older textbooks say Tschüss is only for friends. In Germany today shop staff, waiters, and colleagues all say it, and it is a normal reply to Auf Wiedersehen. Keep Auf Wiedersehen for offices, hotels, and people you address as Sie when you want to be safe.

Wiedersehen or Wiederhören?

Auf Wiedersehen means "until we see each other again", so it is for people you can see. On the phone Germans say Auf Wiederhören, "until we hear each other again". Saying Auf Wiedersehen on the phone is not wrong, but Auf Wiederhören sounds more natural.

The Bis forms need a time

Bis means "until", so it needs a time after it: Bis morgen (until tomorrow), Bis später (until later), Bis bald (until soon). Bis dann is used when a time was already agreed. On its own, Bis is not a goodbye.

Gute Nacht is not goodbye

Gute Nacht (good night) is only for someone who is going to bed. If you leave a restaurant or a party at night, say Tschüss, Schönen Abend noch (have a nice evening), or Auf Wiedersehen. Saying Gute Nacht to a waiter sounds like you are tucking them in.

Regional goodbyes

In Bavaria and Austria you will hear Servus and Pfiat di, in the southwest Ade, and in the north Tschüss or Tschü. You do not have to use them. Tschüss and Auf Wiedersehen are understood everywhere.

Practice with flashcards

This phrase and 120 more as cards. See the English, say the German, flip to check. Free, no signup.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say bye in German?

Tschüss. It is the everyday goodbye and works with friends, family, colleagues, and shop staff. Tschau (Ciao) is also common, especially with younger people.

What is the difference between Tschüss and Auf Wiedersehen?

Both mean goodbye. Tschüss is informal and is now used almost everywhere. Auf Wiedersehen is formal and is the safe choice with officials, at a hotel, or with someone you address as Sie.

Do Germans say Ciao?

Yes, very often. It is written Ciao or Tschau and means bye. It is informal and is used only for leaving, not as a greeting like in Italian.

How do you say see you soon in German?

Bis bald. Bis später means see you later (same day), Bis morgen means see you tomorrow, and Bis dann means see you then, when a time has been agreed.

What does Auf Wiedersehen literally mean?

Until we see each other again. Auf means "on" or "until", wieder means "again", and sehen means "to see". The phone version, Auf Wiederhören, replaces sehen with hören, to hear.

How do you reply to Schönen Tag noch?

Say Danke, gleichfalls (thanks, same to you) or Dir auch (informal) / Ihnen auch (formal), which both mean you too.

Continue learning

Common German Phrases

Greetings, goodbyes, please and thank you, yes and no, and more, all with audio

German Phrases Flashcards

Drill the common phrases from English to German

Hello in German

Hello and Hi in German: Hallo, Guten Tag, and the Regional Greetings

Good morning in German

Good Morning in German: Guten Morgen, Morgen, and Moin

Thank you in German

Thank You in German: Danke, Danke schön, and Vielen Dank

Yes in German

Yes in German: Ja, Doch, Genau, and the Other Ways to Agree

No in German

No in German: Nein, Nicht, Kein, and the Casual Nee

You're welcome in German

You're Welcome in German: Bitte, Bitte schön, and Gern geschehen

How are you in German

How Are You in German: Wie geht's, Wie geht es dir, Wie geht es Ihnen

Cheers in German

Cheers in German: Prost, Zum Wohl, and Other Toasts

Please in German

Please in German: Bitte and Its Four Meanings

Good night in German

Good Night in German: Gute Nacht, Schlaf gut, and Sweet Dreams

Excuse me in German

Excuse Me in German: Entschuldigung, Entschuldigen Sie, and Verzeihung

Sorry in German

Sorry in German: Es tut mir leid, Entschuldigung, and How to Apologize

Good evening in German

Good Evening in German: Guten Abend, Schönen Abend, and Guten Tag

Welcome in German

Welcome in German: Willkommen and Herzlich willkommen

My name is in German

My Name Is in German: Ich heiße, Ich bin, and Mein Name ist

Happy birthday in German

Happy Birthday in German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag and Herzlichen Glückwunsch

I love you in German

I Love You in German: Ich liebe dich, Ich hab dich lieb, and Mein Schatz

German	English	Note
Auf Wiedersehen Formal. Literally "until we see each other again"	Goodbye	Formal. Literally "until we see each other again"
Tschüss Informal and the most common goodbye. Fine in shops too	Bye	Informal and the most common goodbye. Fine in shops too
Tschau / Ciao Informal, from the Italian. Both spellings are used	Bye	Informal, from the Italian. Both spellings are used
Bis bald When you expect to meet again in the next days or weeks	See you soon	When you expect to meet again in the next days or weeks
Bis später Same day	See you later	Same day
Bis dann When a time has already been agreed	See you then	When a time has already been agreed
Bis morgen	See you tomorrow
Bis zum nächsten Mal	Until next time
Mach's gut Informal. Literally "make it good"	Take care	Informal. Literally "make it good"
Schönen Tag noch Often said by shop staff as you leave	Have a nice day	Often said by shop staff as you leave
Schönes Wochenende On a Friday	Have a nice weekend	On a Friday
Auf Wiederhören On the phone only. Literally "until we hear each other again"	Goodbye	On the phone only. Literally "until we hear each other again"
Servus Bavaria and Austria, informal, works for both	Bye or hello	Bavaria and Austria, informal, works for both
Ade Southwest Germany, from the French adieu	Bye	Southwest Germany, from the French adieu
Pfiat di Bavaria and Austria, informal. Short for "behüte dich Gott"	Bye	Bavaria and Austria, informal. Short for "behüte dich Gott"