French farewells cover a range of expressions used to say goodbye, from formal to informal, and are essential for proper communication and cultural understanding in French-speaking contexts.
- Formal Farewells
- Informal Farewells
- See You Later Expressions
- Parting Expressions for Special Occasions
Formal Farewells
Formal farewells are used in professional settings or when addressing someone with respect, such as a stranger, elder, or superior.
- Au revoir - Goodbye (until we meet again)
- Adieu - Farewell (used when you do not expect to see the person again)
- Bonne journée - Have a good day
- Bonne soirée - Have a good evening
- À bientôt - See you soon
Au revoir means 'Goodbye (until we meet again)' and is used in both formal and informal contexts.
Au revoir, Adieu, Bonne journée, and Bonne soirée are formal farewells.
Informal Farewells
Informal farewells are used among friends, family, and peers and often have a casual or playful tone.
- Salut - Bye
- À plus (short for À plus tard) - See you later
- Ciao - Bye (borrowed from Italian)
- Bye - Bye (borrowed from English)
- On se voit - See you (casual)
Salut is used among friends and family in informal situations.
Salut, À plus, Ciao, and On se voit are informal farewells.
See You Later Expressions
These expressions are used when you expect to see the person again soon.
- À bientôt - See you soon
- À tout à l'heure - See you later (same day)
- À demain - See you tomorrow
- À la prochaine - Until next time
'À bientôt' means 'See you soon' (general), 'À tout à l'heure' means 'See you later' (same day).
À bientôt, À tout à l'heure, À demain, and À la prochaine are used for 'See you later/soon'.
Parting Expressions for Special Occasions
These expressions are used during holidays, celebrations, or when offering good wishes.
- Joyeuses fêtes - Happy holidays
- Bon voyage - Have a good trip
- Félicitations - Congratulations
- Bonne chance - Good luck
Joyeuses fêtes, Bon voyage, and Bonne chance are used for special occasions.
Bon voyage
French farewells are diverse and context-dependent, ranging from formal to informal, and including expressions for future meetings and special occasions.
- Use Au revoir in formal situations and Salut among friends.
- Choose the appropriate farewell based on the relationship and context.
- Don’t forget special occasion farewells like Bon voyage and Joyeuses fêtes.