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When one is about to leave an event or the company of a particular group of people, it is only appropriate that you call attention to the fact.
In no world culture is it considered appropriate to just leave without informing the people you are with. You need to know how to say a proper farewell and this means that you need to know how to say “goodbye”.
If you are just starting to learn English as an additional language, how to say “hello” and how to say “goodbye” are some of the first lessons you will be given.
The more you study English, however, the more you will start to realize that there is more than one way to leave a room or leave a conversation.
There are many ways to say “goodbye” in English and it is probably a good idea to become familiar with a few more than just your basic “goodbye” or “bye”.
Bonus: Get a free PDF with alternative ways to say goodbye
Why Do You Need to Know How to Say “Goodbye”?
There are basically two reasons why you need to be familiar with the different ways to say goodbye in English.
1. So you don’t come off as “rude”.
One of the most challenging things about learning English is the fact that there are often so many ways to say different things. English is rich with different idioms, expressions, and slang words that you might not necessarily see in textbooks.
It’s important that you understand and realize when someone is saying goodbye to you, even if they don’t say the word “goodbye”, so that you can respond properly and appropriately.
If you want to develop friendships with native English speakers, you want to leave a good impression when you have to take your leave. This will ensure that they enjoyed talking to you and will be willing and even eager to have another conversation when you see each other again.
2. To keep from being bored!
As we noted, the English language has a variety of different ways to say different things, including goodbye. This is why English can be challenging to learn but it is also what makes learning English so interesting!
Just always saying “goodbye” when you leave can be dull and repetitive. Learning the different ways to say goodbye allows you to add some variety to your speech which will keep things interesting.
The Two Most Basic Ways to Say Goodbye In English
When learning a language, one of the first things that you need to do is learn the most commonly used words and phrases in that language. Of course, this includes the ways to say “goodbye”.
The two ways to say “goodbye” we are going to share with you below are probably some of the first words of English you will learn. They are included in English textbooks and phrasebooks.
1. Goodbye
This, of course, is the most basic way to politely say “I am leaving” to a group of people. It is considered formal but warm and is appropriate in any situation.
2. Bye
This is the shortened form of “goodbye”. Strictly speaking, it was originally considered the informal version of goodbye but this short and simple phrase is now accepted as an appropriate way to say farewell
Four Other Common Ways to Say Goodbye
While the two ways to say “goodbye” are understood to be appropriate under any circumstances, they are not the only way to convey your intention to leave.
The following are other common ways to say “goodbye”. It’s a good idea to know these phrases and when they are used as you are likely to be hearing native English speakers use them a lot.
1. I’ve got to get going
Usually, when you need to say “goodbye” it is because you have another appointment or someplace else that you need to be. This phrase basically sums that up. It tells people you are leaving and that there is a reason that you need to leave.
While you can specify where you are going, say something like “I’ve got to get going I have a test/doctor’s appointment/dinner date” you don’t really need to go into detail unless you want to. Just say “I’ve got to get going” and it should be understood.
2. Have a nice/good day
This is a warm and cheerful way you can say “goodbye”. It’s usually said to someone who is leaving, so if someone says “goodbye” to you, you can say this instead of just “goodbye” back.
You can change “day” around to “night” if you want to use this way to say “goodbye” in the evening.
You can also change “day” to a specific event. For example, if they say that they need to leave to pack for a hiking trip, you can say “Have a good trip”.
In a workplace setting, it’s also appropriate to say “Have a good/nice weekend” if you are leaving the office on a Friday. You can also say “Have a good holiday” if it is the day before a holiday or “have a good vacation” if someone will be leaving to take some time off.
3. Until next time
You can use this phrase to say “goodbye” to someone with who you don’t necessarily have plans, but who you are confident you will run into again.
You can also replace “next time” with a specific date if you do have plans with them. For example, if you are meeting with them at a specific event you can say “until the party/dinner/the play”. You can also replace “next time” with a date, so, “Until next week/month/Monday”.
4. I look forward to our next meeting
This way to say “goodbye” is commonly heard in a business setting.
Say a client meeting has just ended, it is appropriate for you to offer to shake hands as you leave the meeting and utter this phrase.
It is a formal way of basically saying that you hope to keep in contact with the person you met and that you hope that this will be the start of a fruitful business relationship.
3 Warm and Cheerful Ways to Say Goodbye Among Friends
The following ways to say goodbye are commonly uttered among groups of friends. While they are warm and cheerful and express a degree of affection, they are rather informal so be mindful of who you use them around.
1. See you later
This is a good way to say cheerfully say “goodbye” if you are leaving a friend or a group of friends.
The implication of saying “see you later” when leaving your friends is that you are such a part of each other’s lives and you know that you will be among them again. You are looking forward to it!
The “later” in this phrase can also imply something specific; you can say “see you later” because you have agreed to meet up again. So you can say something like the following:
Bob: Dinner at 7?
You: Yes. See you later.
When you use a phrase like this, you are saying that you are leaving their company for now and you are confirming that you and the speaker have plans.
2. See you soon.
This phrase is a way to say “goodbye” that is similar to “see you later”, but it is a little vaguer about when that “later” will be.
When you say this as you are leaving a friend, you are acknowledging that you might not have a specific plan to meet up, but you are confident that you will.
There is a certain familiarity implied by using this phrase with someone. You are implying that you are familiar enough with each other and with each other’s habits that you are confident that you will run into them again.
It also implies that you are looking forward to seeing them, so there is the implication that you feel affection for the other party.
3. Take care
This is a warm and sweet way to say goodbye to a friend or colleague.
You are saying two things when you say “take care” when parting from someone. First, that you are going your separate ways and secondly, you are saying that you hope nothing bad happens to them while you are separated.
3 Slang Words and Phrases That Mean “Goodbye”
The English language has a lot of interesting slang words and expressions that native speakers use daily. It’s best to make an effort to learn a few of these slang phrases, but keep in mind that they are a bit too informal and causal to use in some situations.
1. Bye bye
While “bye” is an acceptable alternative to “goodbye” in almost any situation, saying it twice is only really appropriate in informal situations.
“Bye-bye” is considered a form of “baby talk” and rather childish. If you are among friends, this is a cute way to say “goodbye”, but it’s not really appropriate if you are leaving a business affair.
2. Take it easy
This is similar to “have a nice day” but more informal.
Basically, you are telling someone that you hope that, during the time that you are apart, they will be okay and that they will find time to relax and enjoy themselves. You are wishing them well.
3. I’m off
When you say this, you are basically saying that you are leaving. This is considered very informal so you shouldn’t use it in a business setting or around people to who you need to be respectful towards.
In a way, it’s similar to “I’ve got to get going” because you are implying that you MUST leave now. You can also add a reason to why you are leaving like “I’m off to the dentist” or “I’m off to take an exam”.
Conclusion
English is a rich language full of fun idioms and expressions as well as creative slang words and phrases. If you want to properly join in the daily conversations of native English speakers, it’s important to start building up a mental library of more than just the “most common” or “formal” ways of saying anything.
Memorizing the different words and phrases for “goodbye” that we enumerated above a great way to get started in learning the ways to properly leave someone’s company and, to help you do that, we’ve included this downloadable PDF.
While it’s possible to memorize English words and phrases on your own, the best way to really know how to use English words and phrases in a proper conversation is to work with an online native speaking tutor.
Working with an online native English language speaking tutor is the best way to really learn the common and not so common ways to say “goodbye” in English. We recommend that you download these words and go through them with your tutor.
Your tutor will be able to coach you on when is the appropriate time and place to use these different ways to say “goodbye”. They will also be able to correct your accent and pronunciation on the spot, so you won’t stumble when trying to use these phrases in your daily life.
A good tutor will also be able to recommend some other fun and interesting ways to say goodbye in English. So, what are you waiting to book a session today!
Goodbye for now! And have a nice English learning journey!
