Goodbye in German: 25 Essential Phrases (2026 Guide)

TL;DR

“Goodbye” in German is Auf Wiedersehen (formal, pronounced “owf VEE-der-zay-en”) or Tschüss (casual, pronounced “tchews”). German has over a dozen goodbye phrases, and which one you pick depends on formality, region, and whether you’re speaking face-to-face, on the phone, or writing an email. This guide covers all of them with pronunciation, cultural context, and the common mistakes learners make.

German has a goodbye for almost every situation. There’s one for leaving the office, one for hanging up the phone, one for signing off an email, and a handful that only work in certain parts of the country. Picking the wrong one won’t start an international incident, but it can make you sound stiff, overly casual, or just a little odd.

This guide walks through every way to say goodbye in German, organized by how you’ll actually need them.

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The Two Goodbyes You Need First

If you learn nothing else, learn these two. They cover about 90% of situations.

Auf Wiedersehen (Formal)

Pronunciation: owf VEE-der-zay-en

Literal meaning: “Until we see each other again”

This is the textbook answer to “how do you say goodbye in German,” and it’s the safest choice whenever you’re unsure. Business meetings, talking to professors, addressing strangers in official settings: Auf Wiedersehen works.

Here’s the irony, though. You’ll use this phrase most often with people you’ll probably never see again. The cashier at the supermarket, the person behind the ticket counter, a stranger in a professional context. Germans say “until we see each other again” with people they have no plans to meet a second time.

Tschüss (Casual)

Pronunciation: tchews (rhymes roughly with “goose”)

Literal meaning: Derived from French “adieu” (more on this later)

Tschüss is the everyday go-to. It was originally common only in northern and central Germany, but it has spread widely and is now used across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol.

A native speaker on HiNative from Berlin noted that Tschüss works for both informal and formal situations. You can use it among friends or family members, but also when leaving a store. Many learners worry it’s too informal. Usually it is not.

The Simple Rule: Follow Sie and Du

Here’s a quick heuristic that practitioners on language forums recommend: if you would address someone with Sie (the formal “you”), use Auf Wiedersehen. If you’re on du terms (the informal “you”), Tschüss, Bis dann, or Mach’s gut all fit naturally. This alignment between pronoun and farewell is something native speakers do instinctively, and it’s the fastest shortcut to sounding natural.

Memorizing these two phrases is a start, but actually retaining them takes practice. Spaced repetition review techniques schedule reviews at optimal intervals so vocabulary moves from short-term memory into long-term recall.

Auf Wiederhören: The Phone Goodbye

Pronunciation: owf VEE-der-huh-ren

Literal meaning: “Until we hear each other again”

On the phone, Germans don’t say Auf Wiedersehen. They say Auf Wiederhören. Same structure, but “hören” (to hear) replaces “sehen” (to see), because you obviously can’t see the other person. This is one of the most commonly missed distinctions when learning to say goodbye in German.

Younger speakers in casual calls tend to use the same goodbyes as in person (Tschüss, Bis bald). But on a business or formal call, Auf Wiederhören is what you want.

The South German and Austrian equivalent, Auf Wiederschauen (“until we look at each other again”), follows the same logic: it’s the regional version of Auf Wiedersehen for face-to-face situations, never for the phone.

“See You” Phrases: Bis + Time

German has a clean, modular system for “see you” goodbyes. Just pair Bis (“until”) with a time word.

The key distinction: Bis später implies later the same day. Bis bald is more general, just “see you soon” without a specific timeline. Mixing them up won’t offend anyone, but using them correctly makes you sound noticeably more natural.

All of these work in both formal and informal contexts. They’re polite without being stiff.

Warm Farewell Phrases

Germans almost never deliver a goodbye alone. It usually rides on a final thank-you, a remark about next time, or a small wish. These warm phrases are the ones you’ll hear layered onto a Tschüss or Auf Wiedersehen.

Mach’s gut (mahks goot) means “take care” and is a popular casual farewell. Since it’s informal, it mostly works for ending conversations with friends or acquaintances.

Schönen Tag noch (SHUH-nen tahg nohk) means “have a nice day.” You’ll hear this constantly in shops, restaurants, and any service interaction. It’s one of the most common ways to close an exchange in everyday German.

Schönen Abend noch (SHUH-nen AH-bent nohk) is the evening version: “have a nice evening.”

Schönen Feierabend (SHUH-nen FY-er-ah-bent) means “have a nice evening after work.” Feierabend is a uniquely German concept, the celebratory transition from work to personal time. Saying this to a colleague as you leave the office will earn a smile.

Gute Nacht (GOO-teh nahkt) means “good night,” but only use it when someone is actually going to sleep. This is different from English, where “good night” can sometimes function as a general evening goodbye. In German, it’s specifically a bedtime farewell.

If you’re curious how other languages handle these formality layers, goodbye in French follows a similar formal/informal split, and goodbye in Korean takes formality even further with entirely different verbs depending on who’s leaving.

Regional German Goodbyes

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland each have distinct farewell traditions. Using a regional goodbye in the right place tends to earn an immediate warm response. Using it in the wrong region is a bit eccentric but never offensive.

Servus (Bavaria and Austria)

Pronunciation: ZEHR-voos

Servus works as both hello and goodbye, similar to “Ciao” in Italian. It comes from the Latin word servus meaning “slave” or “servant,” essentially expressing “at your service.” One important social rule: Servus is only appropriate when you’re on du terms with someone. Don’t use it in formal settings.

Pfiat di (Bavaria)

Pronunciation: PFEE-aht dee

This deeply regional phrase derives from “Behüt dich Gott” (“may God protect you”). It’s very informal and rooted in dialect. You’ll hear it in Upper Bavaria and parts of Lower Bavaria, while “Pfüat eich” is more common in Tyrol and Austrian regions near the Bavarian border.

Ade (Swabia, Southern Germany, Switzerland)

Pronunciation: ah-DAY

A soft, old-fashioned farewell common in Baden-Württemberg and parts of Switzerland. It comes from the French “adieu” and carries a gentle, slightly literary quality. Older speakers use it most, but younger people in the south haven’t abandoned it entirely.

Moin (Northern Germany)

Traditionally a greeting, but in the north it’s not uncommon to hear Moin or Moin Moin as a goodbye too. Think of it like a Northern German version of “cheers,” serving double duty.

Baba (Vienna)

Pronunciation: BAH-bah

Practitioners on language forums note that Baba lacks acceptance outside Vienna. It’s widely used among adults in eastern and southern Austria as an informal farewell, but only with people you’re on du terms with.

Tourist tip from a Quora contributor: When visiting northern Germany (Hamburg, for example), say Tschüss to everyone. Once you’re in Bavaria, especially Munich, switch to Auf Wiedersehen. This behavior looks natural to locals.

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Borrowed and Slang Goodbyes

Ciao / Tschau (chow): Borrowed from Italian and common among younger speakers, especially in Berlin. In German, Ciao is used only as a goodbye, not as a hello. You might see it Germanized in writing as “Tschau.”

Tschö (chuh): A clipped, slangy version of Tschüss. Native speakers on italki describe it as non-standard slang used between friends.

Tschüssikowski: A playful, exaggerated version of Tschüss that adds a fake Russian-sounding suffix. It’s the kind of thing you’d say to a close friend to get a laugh, not something for the office.

Lebewohl: The Literary Farewell

Pronunciation: LAY-beh-vohl

Literal meaning: “Live well”

Lebewohl is the German equivalent of “farewell” in English, both in tone and in weight. It implies you won’t see the person for a long time, possibly ever. It’s appropriate when someone is moving abroad permanently or leaving on an extended journey. Using it for a casual parting would sound dramatic to the point of absurdity.

Written German Goodbyes (Emails and Letters)

Saying goodbye in German writing follows its own rules. Spoken farewells like Tschüss don’t belong at the bottom of a business email.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen (“With kind regards”) is the standard formal sign-off. Use it with your full name, job title, and contact details underneath. It’s the German equivalent of “Sincerely.”

Herzliche Grüße (“Best regards”) sits one notch below in formality. It’s polite but warmer, good for professional contacts you’ve built a relationship with.

Viele Grüße (“Many greetings”) and Liebe Grüße (“Dear greetings” or “Love,”) are informal. Friends and family use these regularly. In casual emails, Germans often abbreviate them to VG or LG.

One cultural note: German email formatting places no comma after the sign-off phrase before your name. This catches many English speakers off guard.

Where Does “Tschüss” Come From?

The etymology of Tschüss is one of the more interesting stories in German vocabulary, and most guides skip it entirely.

The path runs from Latin ad deum (“to God”) through French adieu, which was borrowed into Low German as Adschüß during the Napoleonic period when French words spread into even small German villages. Over time, the pronunciation softened and the word was clipped down to the modern Tschüss.

For centuries, Tschüss was heard only in northern Germany. It gradually spread south and is now standard across the German-speaking world.

A small footnote: the 1996 German spelling reform officially changed the spelling from tschüß (with an Eszett) to tschüss (with double-s). The old spelling is technically deprecated but still appears frequently, especially from older writers.

If you enjoy understanding word origins as a memory strategy, understanding how SRS works can help you turn etymological knowledge into lasting vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Auf Wiedersehen with close friends. A native speaker on italki put it bluntly: Auf Wiedersehen between close friends sounds old-fashioned and can come across as sarcastic. Stick with Tschüss, Tschö, or Mach’s gut.

Using Tschüss in a job interview. While Tschüss is fine for most everyday situations, a job interview or meeting with a superior calls for Auf Wiedersehen. Erring too casual signals you don’t read social cues.

Saying Auf Wiedersehen on the phone. This is a common beginner mistake. On the phone, the correct formal goodbye in German is Auf Wiederhören, because you’re hearing each other, not seeing each other.

Using Tschüss freely in Austria. Contributors on WordReference forums warn that some Austrians strongly resent the use of Tschüss, viewing it as a northern German import. If you want to be safe, use Auf Wiedersehen or the local Servus instead.

Leaving without saying goodbye at all. In German-speaking countries, skipping a farewell is considered impolite. Even leaving a shop without a quick Tschüss might earn you a disapproving look. This applies to elevators, waiting rooms, and doctor’s offices too, where a quiet goodbye to the room is normal.

FAQ

What is the most common way to say goodbye in German?

In everyday life, Tschüss is the most common. In formal or professional situations, Auf Wiedersehen takes over. Between these two, you’re covered for the vast majority of interactions.

How do you pronounce Auf Wiedersehen?

“Owf VEE-der-zay-en,” with the stress on the second syllable of Wiedersehen. Break it into three chunks: Auf / Wieder / sehen.

Is Ciao used in German?

Yes, especially among younger speakers and in cities like Berlin. But in German, Ciao functions only as a goodbye, not as a hello the way it does in Italian. You’ll sometimes see it spelled “Tschau” in German writing.

What’s the difference between Bis später and Bis bald?

Bis später means “see you later” and implies the same day. Bis bald means “see you soon” with no specific timeframe attached. Use Bis später if you’ll reconnect in a few hours, Bis bald if it might be days or weeks.

How do you say goodbye on the phone in German?

The formal phone goodbye is Auf Wiederhören (“until we hear each other again”). In casual calls with friends, Tschüss or Bis bald work fine.

Is Tschüss too informal for strangers?

Generally no. In most of Germany, Tschüss is perfectly acceptable even with strangers in shops, on public transport, or in casual encounters. The main exception is clearly formal contexts like job interviews, business meetings, or interactions where you’d address someone as Sie.

What do Germans write at the end of emails?

Formal emails close with Mit freundlichen Grüßen (“With kind regards”). Semi-formal emails use Herzliche Grüße. Casual emails between friends use Liebe Grüße or its abbreviation LG.

Do German goodbyes change by region?

Significantly. Northern Germany favors Tschüss, Bavaria and Austria use Servus and Pfiat di, Swabia has Ade, and Vienna has Baba. Learning even one regional farewell and using it in the right place makes a strong impression.

Knowing how to say goodbye in German is one of those small skills that shapes first impressions. The phrases themselves aren’t complicated, but remembering which one fits which situation takes practice. If you’re building German vocabulary and want something more engaging than a word list, Lingo Legend turns vocabulary practice into an RPG card-battler with built-in spaced repetition, so phrases like these actually stick. It’s free to download on iOS and Android.