👋 How to Say Bye in French – The Friendly Guide

Saying goodbye is one of the first things you’ll want to feel comfortable with in any language—and French is no exception.

Luckily, French offers a variety of ways to say farewell, whether you’re being formal, casual, or just extra-friendly. If you’re just starting out, don’t worry: the expressions below are simple, useful, and easy to remember. They’ll cover you in just about any situation.

🗣️ The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye

Let’s start with the basics. These are the go-to expressions you’ll hear all the time—and they’re perfectly fine to use whether you’re talking to a friend, a coworker, or a stranger.

Au revoir – The classic. It literally means “until we see each other again.” It works in just about any situation.
À demain – See you tomorrow.
À bientôt – See you soon.
À la prochaine – See you next time.
À plus tard – See you later.
À l’année prochaine – See you next year. (Perfect around New Year’s Eve!)

👉 You can use these with anyone—formal or informal—so they’re great phrases to start practicing right away.

Note: there is no hyphen between the words “au” and “revoir”. More tips here.

🌞 Adjusting Your Goodbye Based on the Time of Day

Want to sound a bit more thoughtful or polite? Try adding one of these time-specific wishes:

Bonne journée – Have a good day. (Used when it’s still morning or early afternoon)
Bon après-midi – Have a good afternoon.
Bonne soirée – Have a good evening. (Used when you’re leaving in the evening)
Bonne nuit – Good night. (Said before going to bed, not just leaving in the evening)

These are especially nice to use after “Au revoir” or “À bientôt”—they add a warm touch to your goodbye.

After learning how to say goodbye, you might also want to know how to greet someone with good evening in French.

👋 Saying Bye Like a Local (Informal Phrases)

When you’re chatting with friends or people you know well, you’ll hear these casual ways to say goodbye. They’re fun, relaxed, and oh-so-French:

À plus – Short for À plus tard. It just means “See you later.”
Salut – Can mean both hi and bye. Super common among friends.
Ciao – Borrowed from Italian, but widely used in French too!
Bisous – Kisses. Yes, really! Often used at the end of texts or calls with close friends or family.

Final Tip

If you’re unsure which expression to use, “Au revoir” is always a safe choice. It’s polite, neutral, and fits every context. But as you get more confident, try mixing it up and experimenting with the others—you’ll sound more natural in no time!

And let me tell you: “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir !”

If you already know how to say goodbye, why not revisit how to say hi in French to start every conversation right?