Translation guide
Ways to say goodbye in Japanese, from casual to formal, including set phrases and situational expressions.
Casual goodbye
Saying goodbye to friends, family, or in informal situations.
Saying goodbye in polite or neutral situations, such as with acquaintances, colleagues, or in public.
Used in formal speeches, letters, or when parting for a long time.
Said when leaving one's own house or a place temporarily, implying a return.
Said when leaving home, literally 'I'm going and coming back'. The response is 行ってらっしゃい.
Referring to a farewell event or present.
さようなら can sound overly dramatic or final in daily casual situations. For everyday partings, use じゃあね, バイバイ, or またね with friends, and 失礼します or では、また in polite contexts.
行ってきます is used when leaving home or a familiar place with the intention of returning soon. さようなら is a more general goodbye, often implying a longer separation.
バイバイ、気をつけてね。
Bye-bye, take care.
Standard polite 'goodbye', but can sound a bit formal or final. Often used in schools or when parting for a long time.
Goodbye, take care.
Literally 'excuse me for leaving', used when leaving a room, office, or before hanging up the phone in a business context.
Excuse me for leaving before you.
Polite 'well then, see you'. A softer, more common alternative to さようなら.
Well then, see you next week.
Very formal and somewhat old-fashioned farewell, literally 'be in good spirits'. Used in high society or traditional settings.
Farewell, let us meet again.
Archaic or poetic 'farewell', rarely used in modern speech except for dramatic effect.
Farewell, my beloved.
I'm off! (See you later)
Response to 行ってきます, meaning 'go and come back safely'.
See you later, take care.
Farewell party, often held for a colleague leaving a job.
There's a farewell party for Mr. Tanaka next week.
Farewell gift, often money given to someone departing on a journey or leaving a job.
I gave a watch as a farewell gift.
I'm off to school.
Goodbye, until we meet again.
We held a farewell party for her.