127 Ways to Say Goodbye in English (with Pronunciation Audio)

Learn 127 ways to say goodbye in English, including formal, informal, and slang expressions!

Level: intermediate (B1) / pre-advanced (B2)

127 Ways to Say Goodbye in English (With Pronunciation Audio)

"Hi" and "bye" are two of the first words you learn when you start studying a new language. They help you connect with people and give others an impression of how close and comfortable you feel with them. After all, you probably don't greet your boss in the same way you greet your best friend. This is because there are formal, neutral, and informal ways to say "hi" and "bye."

In this post, we'll focus on how to end conversations—on the many ways you can say "goodbye" in English. You'll learn how to sound professional, how to sound friendly, and how to sound neutral but respectful. Finally, you'll get a chance to hear these words in action, so make sure you listen to the attached audio to practice your pronunciation.

Let's start with the two words you probably already know.

When to Say "Goodbye" and "Bye" in English

"Goodbye" (pronunciation: gud-BAI) is a slightly formal way to end a conversation. It's common in formal messages, as in "Goodbye, Jack. It was nice meeting you." You'll also hear it when people want to sound respectful. For example, if you're ending a conversation with your boyfriend's or girlfriend's parents after meeting them for the first time, you might say, "Goodbye, Mister and Misses Gonzalez. Thank you again for dinner."

As you can see, "goodbye" can sound a little serious.

The truth is, in most situations, English speakers end conversations with the word "bye" (pronunciation: BAI), especially when speaking with friends, colleagues, and family members. So, unless you want to sound a little formal or professional, "bye" is usually your best choice.

Finally, if you want to sound more playful, you can say "bye-bye." This is more childlike and affectionate than simply saying "bye," and it is quite common among friends, family members, and colleagues. The most casual and playful pronunciation of "bye-bye" is "buh-bye" (pronunciation: buh-BAI). You can say this to a young child who is going to school, but you can say it to a friend when they're leaving your house after a dinner party as well. As always, your tone and your closeness to the other person is important.

Now, let's move on to other ways to say goodbye in most social situations.

Everyday Goodbyes

These are things you can say to your colleagues at the end of a workday, or to your friends or family members after a nice lunch. You will also hear many of them in some professional settings; for instance, when you go to the bank, or when you end a phone conversation with your internet company. These goodbyes feel common and friendly.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
Have a nice day. Have a good day.	These are positive wishes usually given in the morning or early afternoon.	/hæv ə naɪs deɪ/ /hæv ə ɡʊd deɪ/
Have a nice weekend. Have a good weekend.	These are positive wishes at the end of the work week or school week.	/hæv ə naɪs ˈwiːkˌɛnd/ /hæv ə ɡʊd ˈwiːkˌɛnd/
Have a nice evening. Enjoy the rest of your evening.	These are positive wishes usually said after 5 or 6 o'clock.	/hæv ə naɪs ˈiːvnɪŋ/ /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ ðə rɛst əv jʊr ˈiːvnɪŋ/
Have a good night. Good night.	Say this in the evening or at the end of a social event that ends late.	/hæv ə ɡʊd naɪt/ /ɡʊd naɪt/
Enjoy the rest of your day. Have a good rest of your day.	These are positive wishes usually given in the morning or afternoon.	/ɪnˈdʒɔɪ ðə rɛst əv jɔːr deɪ/
Take care. Take care of yourself.*	"Take care" is a warm end to a conversation; you are wishing someone well when you say this. *"Take care of yourself" is a more personal variation of this goodbye wish. This is only for people you know well or feel close to.	/teɪk ker/ /teɪk keər əv jɔːˈsɛlf/

You can also link goodbye messages. For example, you can say, "Bye! Have a nice weekend!" or "Good night! Take care of yourself!"

"See you later" Goodbyes

When you know you will see someone again in the near future, you can say, "See you later." There are many kinds of "see you" goodbye messages. These goodbyes are usually for people you know well, but many of them are possible in professional settings as well.

You will notice that many of these goodbyes use either "See you" or "Talk to you." "See you" implies the physical presence of someone the next time you see them. "Talk to you" just means you will speak to the person, perhaps via text or email, though you might speak in person as well.

In natural connected speech, "see you" is usually said as "see ya," as in "See ya tomorrow." "Talk to you" is usually said as "talk t'ya," as in "Talk t'ya soon."

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
See you later. Talk to you later.	"Later" is a versatile word. You might see the person the same day, the same week, or even later than that.	/si ju ˈleɪɾɚ/ /tɑːk tə ju ˈleɾɚ/
See you soon. Talk to you soon.	"Soon" is closer in time than "later." This is usually for same-day goodbyes, but you can use it when you know you will see or talk to the person at any point in the near future.	/si ju sun/ /tɑːk tə ju sun/
See you in a bit. Talk to you in a bit.	This is a more casual way to say "soon." "In a bit" means "in a short while."	/si ju ɪn ə bɪt/ /tɔk tə ju ɪn ə bɪt/
See you [tonight/tomorrow/on Monday]. Talk to you [tonight/tomorrow/on Monday].	You can specify the precise time when you expect to communicate with someone again. This is possible in formal and informal cases.	/si ju təˈnaɪt/ /si ju təˈmɑːroʊ/ /si ju ɑn ˈmʌn.deɪ/ /tɔk tə ju təˈnaɪt/ /tɔk tə ju təˈmɑːroʊ/ /tɔk tə ju ɑn ˈmʌn.deɪ/
See you then. Talk to you then.	Say this when you have agreed upon a future meeting time.	/si ju ðɛn/ /tɔk tə ju ðɛn/
See you around.	This is a casual goodbye. Use it when you're not sure when you'll see someone again, but when you expect to run into them because you work or live in the same area.	/si ju əˈraʊnd/
Bye for now!	This is a temporary goodbye. Use it when you expect to see the person sooner or later.	/baɪ fɔr naʊ/
Until we meet again. 'til we meet again.	This is a bit formal and poetic, but it can sound friendly and playful if you have a good relationship with someone. 'til is a shortened pronunciation of until.	/ʌnˈtɪl wi miːt əˈɡɛn/ /tɪl wi mit əˈɡɛn/
See you next time. 'til next time.	This is common when you have scheduled meetings with someone and expect to see them in the same place and/or at the same time again in the future. A cashier might also say this to a customer, inviting and expecting them to return to the store in the future.	/si ju nɛkst taɪm/ /tɪl nɛkst taɪm/

Casual Goodbyes

These are not slang, but they are much more relaxed than standard, everyday goodbyes. You use these goodbyes with people you know well or with people that you feel comfortable with. The truth is, some people are just friendlier than others, and they might use these with people they have just met because it's just part of their nature to be social and friendly. This is actually the case with all goodbyes, but this is a good time to mention it.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
Take it easy!	This encourages someone to stay relaxed and avoid stress.	/teɪk ɪt ˈiːzi/
Have a good one!	This is a more casual and friendlier way to say, "Have a [good/nice] day."	/hæv ə ɡʊd wʌn/
Catch you later! Later!	This is a more casual and relaxed way to say, "[See/Talk to] you later."	/kætʃ jʊ ˈleɪtər/
Adios!	This is Spanish for "bye," but English speakers sometimes use it in casual situations.	/ɑːdiˈoʊs/
Ciao!	This is Italian for "bye," but English speakers sometimes use it in casual situations.	/ˈtʃaʊ/
Keep in touch! Stay in touch!	This encourages someone to maintain contact because you want to continue to connect with them.	/kiːp ɪn tʌʧ/ /steɪ ɪn tʌʧ/
Don't be a stranger!	This means, "Continue to communicate with me. Don't treat me like a person you don't know." It's another way of saying, "Keep in touch."	/doʊnt bi ə ˈstreɪndʒər/

"I'm leaving" Goodbyes

Before you give someone a real goodbye, it's common to say that you need to leave. There are many ways to do this. This list includes neutral and casual ways to say, "I'm leaving" or "I have to leave."

Note that "gotta" is used in a few of these goodbyes. This is the shortened, relaxed speech form of "have got to." If you don't like using "gotta," say "need to," "have to," or "have got to" instead, as in, "I have to go," and remember that saying "need to," "have to," or "have got to" is more neutral than "gotta," which is very relaxed and casual.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
I should get going. I have to get going.	Neutral. "Get going" means "start to leave."	/aɪ ʃʊd ɡɛt ˈɡoʊ.ɪŋ/ /aɪ hæv tə ɡɛt ˈɡoʊ.ɪŋ/
I'm heading out.	Neutral. "Heading" means "going" or "moving in the direction of." "Heading out" means leaving.	/aɪm ˈhɛdɪŋ aʊt/
I'm on my way out.	Say this when you are already preparing to leave. This is common when someone tries to talk to you as you are leaving.	/aɪm ɑn maɪ weɪ aʊt/
I'm off!	This is a quick, easy way to say, "I'm leaving!" Neutral and friendly.	/aɪm ɔf/
Time for me to go.	A bit friendly. You are saying that the time has arrived for you to leave.	/taɪm fər mi tə ɡoʊ/
I gotta go.	A casual and friendly way to say, "I have to leave."	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə ɡoʊ/
I gotta run.	This is a more casual, idiomatic way to say, "I gotta go."	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə rʌn/
I gotta get out of here.	When a person says this, they are probably running late, or they are trying to be funny by saying, "I need to leave. This place is causing me stress."	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə ɡɛt aʊt əv hɪr/
That's my cue to leave.	Humorous and playful. A person says this when something happens that acts as a signal for the person to leave. For example, if a glass breaks near the end of the night.	/ðæts maɪ kju tə liv/
I'm out of here.	This is a more direct way of saying, "I'm leaving" or "time for me to go." It can sound a little rough, but it can also be playful.	/aɪm aʊt əv hɪr/

Slang Goodbyes

Use these if you want to sound like a cool teenager or twenty-something saying goodbye, but be careful! Not all of them are used by young people today, and some of them might not be used next month. This list includes goodbyes that have stood the test of time, and a couple which might not survive another decade. This is just the nature of slang.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
I'm out.	This is the slang equivalent of "I'm off."	/aɪm aʊt/
Peace out. Peace!	Imagine that you are giving the peace sign as you wish people well and say you are leaving.	/pis aʊt/ /pis/
I gotta bounce. I'm bouncing.	This is the slang equivalent of "I have to go" and "I'm leaving." Imagine that you are bouncing like a ball.	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə baʊns/ /aɪm ˈbaʊnsɪŋ/
I gotta jet.	This is the slang version of, "I gotta go" and "I gotta run." This uses "jet" as a verb, since a jet is faster than a human, of course.	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə dʒɛt/
I gotta hit the road.	This one feels a little more Western (think "cowboy") than "I gotta jet."	/aɪ ˈɡɑtə hɪt ðə roʊd/
Bye, Felicia!	This is from the 1995 Black culture movie, Friday, and it is still understood as a funny way to say goodbye while referencing a popular movie.	/baɪ fəˈliːʃə/
Laters.	This is technically ungrammatical. "Later" shouldn't have an "s" at the end of it! But that's what makes it slang. It is the equivalent of "see you later" or "talk to you later."	/ˈleɪtərz/
Deuces.	"Deuces" means "twos." It's similar to "peace out," as "deuces" refers to the two fingers you use to make the peace sign. When a person says this, they usually make the peace sign with their index and middle fingers.	/ˈduːsɪz/
Smell ya later!	This is a bit old-fashioned and was more popular in the 1990s and early 2000s among pre-teens. Its origin is the Pokemon animated series. People in their 30s and 40s still recognize it in the 2020s.	/smɛl jə ˈleɪtər/
Time to hit the old dusty trail.	This is a very relaxed way to say "goodbye" like a cowboy.	/taɪm tə hɪt ðə oʊld ˈdʌsti treɪl/
I have to see a man about a horse.	This is another cowboy-themed goodbye. It sounds a bit mysterious and is a fun way to end a conversation. You can also use it when you have to attend to personal business. You can even use it before you go to the bathroom.	/aɪ hæv tə si ə mæn əˈbaʊt ə hɔrs/

Goodbyes for Specific Occasions / Positive Wish Goodbyes

These are goodbye wishes for specific occasions such as vacations, illnesses, exams, or when someone is going out for the evening. These are all incredibly common and useful. Learn them so that you will know what to say the next time one of these situations happens. Some are more general than others and can apply to multiple situations.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
Have a good trip! Bon voyage! Safe travels!	Say these to someone who is going on vacation or on a short trip.	/hæv ə ɡʊd trɪp/ /bɑn vɔɪˈɑʒ/ /seɪf ˈtrævəlz/
Good luck! Best of luck! Good luck [on your exam/with your mom]!	You can wish someone good luck in many scenarios! There are two examples given here.	/ɡʊd lʌk/ /bɛst əv lʌk/ /ɡʊd lʌk ɑn jʊr ɪɡˈzæm/ /ɡʊd lʌk wɪð jʊr mɑm/
Break a leg!	This is still a common way to say "good luck" to a theatre actor, but people use it outside of the context of theatre as well. "Good luck on your driving exam! Break a leg!"	/breɪk ə lɛɡ/
Fingers crossed!	You cross your fingers for good luck. You can say this when you want to show someone that you hope that something good will happen.	/ˈfɪŋɡərz krɔst/
Get well soon. Rest up. Take it easy.	You can say all of these to a person who is sick. Remember that "take it easy" is also a casual goodbye.	/ɡɛt wɛl sun/ /rɛst ʌp/ /teɪk ɪt ˈizi/
Have fun! Have a good time! Have a blast!	If someone is going out for the evening, you can say one of these things. "Have a blast" is idiomatic and just means "have a good time."	/hæv fʌn/ /hæv ə ɡʊd taɪm/ /hæv ə blæst/
Do your best.	You can say this to someone who is going to do something challenging, such as a test or a performance.	/du jʊr bɛst/
Don't worry! It's going to be okay! You'll be fine!	You can say this to someone who feels nervous or anxious about something.	/doʊnt ˈwɜri/ /ɪts ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə bi oʊˈkeɪ/ /jul bi faɪn/
You can do it! You've got this! I believe in you!	These are great ways to motivate and encourage someone. "You've got this!" is a casual, positive way to say "you can do it."	/ju kæn du ɪt/ /juv ɡɑt ðɪs/ /aɪ bɪˈliv ɪn ju/

Old-Fashioned Goodbyes

These goodbyes are not used as much today, but they are still understood. They can sound a bit serious, poetic, and formal. It is possible to use some of them in respectful and formal ways today, especially "Farewell" and "So long," but the majority are used in a humorous way today. The final four in particular, "Cheerio," "Ta-ta," "Pip-pip," and "Toodaloo," are not used seriously 99% of the time. People who do not have a British accent often try to use a British accent when they say these.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
Farewell.	A literary, more serious way to say goodbye.	/ˌfɛrˈwɛl/
So long.	This is more casual than "farewell," but it is still old-fashioned.	/soʊ lɔŋ/
Adieu. I (must) bid you adieu.	"Adieu" is formal French for "goodbye." "I bid you adieu" means "I say goodbye to you."	/ˌædˈju/ /aɪ mʌst bɪd ju ædˈju/
Be well.	This is a more formal, old-fashioned way to say "take care."	/bi wɛl/
Godspeed. God bless you. Go with God. May God be with you.	These are old-fashioned, religious goodbyes. "Godspeed" comes from the Middle English phrase "God spede you," which means "may God make you succeed."	/ˈɡɑdˌspiːd/ /ɡɑd blɛs ju/ /ɡoʊ wɪð ɡɑd/ /meɪ ɡɑd bi wɪð ju/
Cheerio!	This is a friendly, old British way to say goodbye.	/ˌtʃɪəˈri.oʊ/
Ta-ta!	Same as above.	/ˈtɑː tɑː/
Pip-pip!	Same as above.	/ˈpɪp ˌpɪp/
Toodaloo! Toodles!	Same as above. It is a funny English version of the French "à tout à l’heure," which means "see you later." "Toodles" is a more playful, childish variation.	/ˌtuːdəˈluː/ /ˈtuːdəlz/

Just one final note here: "Pip-pip" and "cheerio" are often combined into the cute goodbye combination of "Pip-pip! Cheerio!"

Goodbyes for Kids

These are playful and funny ways to say goodbye to children, but you can use them in a childish and playful way with adults as well. Most of them use animals, and they all rhyme, which is something that is pleasant for the ear, regardless of a person's age! If you ever spend time with children, try some of these and see how they react.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
See you later, alligator! Later, gator!	This is a fun way to say "see you later" to a child.	/si ju ˈleɪtər ˌæləˌɡeɪtər/ /ˈleɪtər ˌɡeɪtər/
In a while, crocodile!	Same as above. This is usually a direct response to "see you later, alligator."	/ɪn ə waɪl ˈkrɑkəˌdaɪl/
Take care, teddy bear!	Another cute and funny rhyming way to say "be good to yourself. Stay safe!"	/teɪk kɛr ˈtɛdi bɛr/
See you soon, raccoon! See you soon, baboon!	The only reason raccoons and baboons are mentioned is because they rhyme with "soon." Just accept it.	/si ju suːn rɑˈkun/ /si ju suːn bəˈbun/
Out the door, dinosaur!	You can say this when you want a child to hurry because they might miss their bus or it's time for recess at school.	/aʊt ðə dɔr ˈdaɪnəˌsɔr/
See ya! Wouldn't wanna be ya!	A playful, teasing way to say "see you. I wouldn't want to be you."	/si jə ˈwʊdənt ˈwɑnə bi jə/

Professional Email Goodbyes

Email communication has a formula. That formula usually ends with one of these messages. These are some of the most common ways that people end emails today.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
Regards.	This is the most neutral email signoff today.	/rɪˈɡɑrdz/
Best Regards. Kind Regards. Warm Regards.	These are intensifications of "regards" which show different levels of caring.	/bɛst rɪˈɡɑrdz/ /kaɪnd rɪˈɡɑrdz/ /wɔrm rɪˈɡɑrdz/
Best Wishes.	This is sometimes shortened to "Best." It is a bit familiar, so this is usually used with someone you have talked to multiple times.	/bɛst ˈwɪʃɪz/
Thank you. Thanks.	A clear and simple way to express gratitude. "Thanks" is a bit more familiar.	/ˈθæŋk ju/ /θæŋks/
Cheers.	This is a casual way to end an email. Use it with people you feel comfortable with. It's like clinking glasses together at the table before you drink.	/ʧɪərz/
Speak to you soon.	This is the "Talk to you soon" of email communication. You can also just say "Talk to you soon" if you wish.	/spiːk tə juː suːn/
Looking forward to hearing from you. Looking forward to your reply.	You should definitely become familiar with the phrase "looking forward to" when sending emails. It means you are anticipating a response.	/ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔrwərd tə ˈhɪərɪŋ frəm ju/ /ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔrwərd tə jʊər rɪˈplaɪ/

I didn't include "sincerely" and "yours truly" on this list because they are incredibly rare in most email communication today.

Text and Online Messaging Goodbyes

These are abbreviations that English speakers use all the time to say goodbye in different ways when they are texting with their friends or sending messages to their work colleagues or family members. These text abbreviations are essential for digital communication in English. Remember that communication evolves over time, so there might be new abbreviations in the future. For now, these have been used for at least twenty five years.

Important note! Most people don't care if you use uppercase or lowercase letters for these abbreviations. Ones like BRB and TTYL should technically use uppercase, but people type them as brb and ttyl as well. Don't worry about this aspect too much.

Goodbye	Usage Note	IPA Pronunciation
TTYL	This means "talk to you later."	/ti ti waɪ ɛl/ (Yes, people actually say the individual letters in speaking.)
BRB	This means "be right back," as in, "I will return shortly."	/bi ɑr bi/
G2G / GTG	This means "got to go," as in, "I have to go.",	/dʒi tu dʒi/
Talk soon Chat soon	These are efficient ways to say "I will talk to you soon."	/tɔk suːn/ /ʧæt suːn/
L8r	This means "later," as in, "Goodbye. I will talk to you later."	/ˈleɪtər/
One sec	This means "one second," as in, "I'm busy. I will reply soon."	/wʌn sɛk/

Time to Say Goodbye

Thank you for exploring these 127 ways to say goodbye in English. I hope you feel more confident and comfortable, and thanks to the audio and pronunciation guides on this page, you can also pronounce every goodbye correctly.

Until next time, so long and farewell!

"So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music. A classic song from a classic movie.

If you would like to see me discuss this topic in another way, here is a video lesson.

Watch this video to practice your English listening skills and to strengthen your understanding of how to say "goodbye" in English.

When you have finished watching the video, do the quiz to test your knowledge.

Finally, if you enjoy my resources, please consider supporting me by getting one of my books. They are available in PDF, e-book, and physical formats. Until next time, keep learning and keep practicing!