Want to say “goodbye” to your new friend who turns out to be from Germany? Do not worry. In fact, you only need to know two phrases, namely " Auf Wiedersehen " and " Tschüs ", to pronounce it. However, if you want to impress your new friend, try learning other phrases that have a similar meaning but are more specific to the context of a different situation.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Saying the Standard “Goodbye”
Step 1. Say "Auf Wiedersehen"
This is the most formal and traditional expression in German for saying "goodbye".
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Pronounce "Auf Wiedersehen" like so:
owf vee-der-say-en
- Although this is the first phrase that is most commonly taught in German classes, “Auf Wiedersehen” is actually an ancient phrase and is not commonly spoken by native Germans in the context of casual situations. This phrase has the equivalent meaning of "farewell" in English or "goodbye" in Indonesian.
- Say this phrase in a variety of formal and/or professional situations, especially when you have to communicate with a stranger and want to show appreciation or respect for them.
- To avoid sounding too formal, you can shorten the phrase to “Wiedersehen.”
Step 2. Say "Tschüs" casually
This expression is most commonly used to say “goodbye” in informal conversation situations.
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Pronounce " Tschüss " like so:
chuuss
- The term is the equivalent of "bye" in English or "dah" (instead of "goodbye" in Indonesian. Ideally, it should be used when you are about to part ways with a close friend or in some cases, a complete stranger.
Part 2 of 3: Saying “Goodbye” in Another Way
Step 1. Say " Mach's gut " in the context of a casual situation
You can use this phrase to say "goodbye" to people you know well.
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Pronounce " Mach's gut " like so:
mahx goot
- Literally, the phrase means "do well" (" Mach's " is a conjugated form of the word "to do," and " gut " has the meaning of "good"). If translated more freely, the phrase is actually equivalent to “Take care!” in English or “Be careful!” in Indonesian.
Step 2. Say "Bis bald" or a similar phrase
If you are going to part with those closest to you in the context of a casual situation, you can say " Bis bald " which means " until we meet again " or " bye."
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Pronounce "Bis bald" like so:
biss bahlt
- " Bis " is a conjunction which means " until, " and " bald " is an adverb which means " soon / soon ". Translated directly, the phrase can be interpreted as "until soon."
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Some phrases that have a similar structure and meaning:
- "Auf bald" (owf bahllt), meaning "see you soon"
- " Bis dann " (biss dahn), which means "see you again at the promised time"
- " Bis später " (biss speetahr), which means "see you next time"
Step 3. Say "Wir sehen uns"
This is an informal but still polite way to say "see you later" to your acquaintances.
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Pronounce "Wir sehen uns" like so:
veer zeehn oons
- This phrase can be said if you have no plans to meet the person again. However, if the two of you are already making plans for the next meeting, it's a good idea to add the word " dann " (dahn) at the end of the phrase: " Wir sehen uns dann ". Doing so will change the meaning of the phrase to, “see you at the promised time, yeah”.
Step 4. Say " Schönen Tag " to wish someone's day
In general, the term means "have a nice day", and can be said to both close people and strangers.
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Pronounce " Schönen Tag " like so:
shoon-ehn tahg
- Sometimes, other people will pronounce it as " Schönen Tag noch," (shoon-ehn tahg noc), which is actually the full version of the phrase.
- For the same purpose, you can also say " Schönes Wochenende " (shoon-eh vahk-ehn-end-ah) which means "have a nice weekend" instead of "have a nice day".
Part 3 of 3: Saying “Goodbye” in Specific Situations
Step 1. Say "Servus" in Austrian or Bavarian territory
The term is a popular and informal "goodbye" expression, but its use is limited to Austria and Bavaria. In Germany itself, the expression is very rarely – if not never – used in Germany.
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Pronounce "Servus" like so:
zehr-foos
- Specifically, "Servus" is another way of saying "bye" instead of "goodbye". Although polite, these expressions are considered informal and should only be used in casual conversation.
- Understand that “Servus” is not the only way Austrians or Bavarians say goodbye. For example, you can also use the term " Tschüs," " Auf Wiedersehen," and other German farewell expressions in both countries.
Step 2. Say "Ade" in the state of Baden-Württemberg
Like “Servus,” “Ade” is a farewell phrase that is distinguished by geographic area. In particular, the expression is common in the Baden-Württemberg region, a state located in southwestern Germany.
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Pronounce "Ade" like so:
ah-dee
- The term actually has a formal meaning, so it should be translated as “see you later” or “goodbye” in the context of a more formal situation. While it can be used in almost any situation, you'll hear it more often in formal and professional situations than casual ones.
- In addition, you can still say " Auf Wiedersehen," " Tschüs," and other German greetings living in Baden-Württemberg. In other words, your speech is not limited to " Ade " alone.
Step 3. End the night by saying " Gute Nacht"
This phrase has a similar meaning to the phrase "good night" in English or "good night" in Indonesian.
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Pronounce " Gute Nacht " like so:
goo-tuh nakht
- "Gute" means "good," and "Nacht" means "night."
- Other frequently spoken phrases, such as " Gute Morgen " (good morning) and " Gute Abend " (good evening), are commonly used as greetings. In contrast to the two, the phrase " Gute Nacht " is almost always used to say goodbye to "night" or to someone who is going to sleep.
Step 4. Say “Bis zum nächsten Mal” to people you meet often
If you're saying goodbye to someone you see often, use the phrase, which generally means "see you later."
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Pronounce "Bis zum nächsten Mal" like so:
biis zuhm nii-stihn maahl"
- The word "nchsten" means "next," and "Mal" means "time." In other words, the phrase means "see you next time" or "see you next time".
- This phrase can be spoken to anyone you meet frequently in your daily life, such as a co-worker, classmate, relative, or fellow diner at a restaurant you frequent.
Step 5. End the conversation by saying "Wir sprechen uns bald" or a similar phrase
In fact, there are many ways you can end a phone conversation with someone, but "Wir sprechen uns bald" is the most common phrase. In general, the phrase means "see you again in the next chat".
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Pronounce " Wir sprechen uns bald " like so:
veer spray-heen oons baahld
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Another phrase worth saying is "Wir sprechen uns später," which means "we'll talk later." Pronounce the phrase like so:
veer spray-heen oons speetahr
Step 6. Say “Gute Reise
” to say goodbye to someone who is about to travel. The phrase means “have a nice trip,” so it is appropriate to say to those closest to you who will be traveling.
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Pronounce " Gute Reise " like so:
goo-tuh rai-suh
- The word “Gute” means “good,” and “Reise” means “travel,” “travel,” or “travel.” Therefore, the phrase can be translated as “a good (or pleasant) trip”.
