William Shakespeare insisted that "Parting is such sweet sorrow!". The Bard thus underscored his lovers' torment over forced separation. Our partings needn't be so dramatic.
Native French speakers have nearly 50 ways to leave someone, ranging from the neutral to the overly formal. If you add farewells for special occasions such as going on a trip or more permanent departures, that list grows exponentially.
Beginner French students learn how to say 'au revoir' in their first few language classes. French cinema lovers might know 'Adieu!', an outdated term whose literal translation is 'to God!'. Those two farewell expressions will get you by in the short term. To expand your 'farewell' vocabulary so you won't suffer the 'permanent outsider' stigma, you should:
- master other ways to say goodbye in French
- explore French farewells' cultural variations
- learn how to make your goodbyes more heartfelt
- grasp how to match goodbyes to different contexts
The Bard might have been flowery in conveying Juliet's exuberance at love's first blush. Still, it makes for a memorable line, especially as it comes at the end of a scene. But we don't have to go over the top with our French farewells. The right goodbye is all you need; those are the ones we learn today.
Beyond "Adieu": Other Ways to Say Goodbye in French
As noted in our introduction, 'Adieu' is old-fashioned; it rings with a sense of permanence. In the old days, one might say Adieu to someone they never expected to see again. It reflects former France's commitment to religion by encouraging the traveller to 'go with God'.
For its formality and finality alone, you should use 'Adieu' only in the most dire of circumstances. Unless you say it with a twinkle in your eye and a mocking smile. Then, it conveys irony rather than tragedy.
The standard French farewell is "Au revoir!". 'Revoir' is 're-seeing' and 'au' is an alternate form of 'at' (à) or 'until'. Thus, "Au revoir!" means 'until the re-seeing!'. You may embellish it with "Monsieur" or "Madame" if you're leaving a shop or a restaurant.
When you come to the end of your work day, you shouldn't be so formal when telling your colleagues goodbye. You might part with a cheery "Bonsoir!" if your time together ends after 6PM. Or a slightly more sombre "À demain!" ('Til tomorrow!) if you dread returning to the office. If your shift ends at midday, you may take your leave by saying "Bonne Journée!".
Beginner French learners often take that farewell as another form of 'bonjour' - literally 'good day'. It's understandable but try to avoid doing so lest you out yourself as a French-speaking novice.
'À' precedes many casual farewells in French. In this table, we list these 'À' goodbyes, their English equivalents and explain with whom to use them.
| French 'À' Farewell | English Version | When to Use It |
| À bientôt! | See you soon! | With neighbours, coworkers and friends. |
| À plus tard! | See you later! | With neighbours, coworkers and friends. |
| À tout a l'heure! | See you in a while! | With people you'll meet later. |
| À demain! | See you tomorrow! | With people you'll see tomorrow. |
| À la prochaine! | Till next time! | With neighbours, coworkers and friends. |
| À plus! | See ya! | Very informal, use only with people you know very well. |
| À tout de suite! | See you shortly! | Informal, often used in the south of France |
We close this section out with the ubiquitous 'Salut!', which does double duty as 'hello' and 'goodbye'. It's roughly equal to our 'aight, mate?'. We find a major cultural difference in this slang term's use.
Us Brits might lob 'aight', with its requisite chin bob, at anyone looking like they're about our age and style. In France, you should wait until you've gotten to know someone before you deliver them their first Salut. Or wait until they lob one your way.
Cultural Variations in French Farewell Expressions
British culture is renowned for its politeness. We 'sorry' ourselves to the stratosphere and back; our queueing skills are beyond compare. Despite that, our polite culture has nothing on the French.
The ABCs of functioning in French society revolve around speaking formally until you're invited not to. The French language has a verb to describe the practice of addressing someone politely: vouvoyer. It means using the formal 'vous', as opposed to 'tutoyer' the act of addressing someone with the familiar 'tu'.
A formal-to-informal farewell (Fr):
A formal-to-informal farewell (Translated):
"Je suis desolée de vous quitter!"
"Vous pouvez me tutoyer."
"Ah oui? Alors, à la prochaine!"
"I'm sorry to leave (formal) you!"
"You may address me informally."
"Really? Well, then, till next time!"
I had this conversation with an aunt I recently met from my French side. She is older than me so I felt I had to use honorifics. Once she encouraged me to let go of the formality, our relationship warmed by several degrees.
As a newcomer to French culture, you should always err on the side of formal. However, keep in mind that an invite to informality might never come. For instance, you will likely never address your boss informally.
You should also maintain a degree of formality with officials, shopkeepers and other workers. That means saying 'au revoir Monsieur / Madame!' rather than any of the less formal goodbyes.
Faire la Bise
Even people not in tune with French culture know about the French practice of kissing on the cheek. It's called 'faire la bise', literally 'do the kiss'. The standard method is one kiss on each cheek when saying hello and again when parting company.
'La bise' sees regional differences. Some parts of France mandate three kisses while others limit the ritual to the standard.
As a French newcomer, you should not initiate 'la bise', especially if you're a male greeting a female. Also, never expect 'la bise' from someone you just met. However, your new friend may initiate 'la bise' when saying goodbye.
Expressing Emotion and Sincerity in French Farewells
Our Bard, with his evocative line every Juliet since has uttered, isn't the only master of eloquence. The French also turn out poetic phrases in lieu of farewells. Indeed, even essential French expressions tend to sound regal.
Recall a line from our sample goodbye in the previous segment: "Je suis desolé de vous quitter!". Those first three words - or even just 'desolé' may be used the same way we use 'sorry'. However, it's more evocative than French's 'sorry' equivalent, 'pardon'. After all, our 'desolate' - barren, cold and friendless, comes from this French word.
So if you say you're 'desolé', you are far more than sorry. Of course, you may say "Pardon, je dois filer!" (Sorry, I have to run!); this too is expressive. 'Filer' is a slang term that means 'clear out' or 'dash off'. It conveys a slightly roguish tone, as though the law were in hot pursuit.
Veering to the other end of the formal spectrum, we find "Je vous salue" (I salute you). This is a farewell meant for company executive officers, prize winners and other people of merit. It is formal in the extreme; it should only be used sparingly.
As a polite goodbye, 'Au plaisir de vous revoir' works well. This is the type of parting a financial advisor or a lawyer might offer their client. Freelancers - graphic designers, tailors and other such independent workers would earn repeat business with this sincere phrase.
Using Farewells Appropriately in Different Contexts
In our table, we included the very informal 'À plus!', pronounced 'ah plüh' You might shout this at your departing classmate instead of 'Salut!'. However, to end a text conversation with that farewell, you need only type 'A+'.
You'd do better in a formal situation if you used 'desolé(e)' rather than 'pardon' or 'Pardonnez moi'. In polite French, 'desolé(e)' is more personal and more expressive. By contrast, the latter is more impersonal, even when used with in its formal style.
Of course, you run the risk of taking things over the top. For instance, "Je suis accablé(e) de tristesse à vôtre départ!" is about three times as emotive as necessary for any situation. It means "I'm overcome with sadness at your leaving!". It would probably be best if you didn't take things that far unless you're addressing your Romeo or Juliet.
Just like you wouldn't drop a proverb in conversation apropos of nothing, you shouldn't overdo the sentiment. You should avoid offering a formal goodbye when the situation calls for a casual one. And you should never use a casual phrase when the situation calls for a formal one.
If you're ever in doubt about which type of farewell or the level of formality a situation demands, simply follow the lead. For instance, when someone extends their hand for a shake, you'll know it's not a 'la bise' occasion. Likewise, if everyone uses the formal 'vous', so should you.
Now, for our final French farewell: 'Bonne chance!' (Good luck!) It too is a parting phrase; it's what we wish you in your French studies.
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