The everyday goodbye in German is Tschüss (sounds like "chüss"), fine with friends, colleagues and shop staff. The formal version is Auf Wiedersehen (owf VEE-der-zay-en), literally "until seeing again". If you will meet again soon, say Bis bald (see you soon) or Bis morgen (see you tomorrow). On the phone, formal callers say Auf Wiederhören.
- Everyday
- Tschüss
- Formal
- Auf Wiedersehen
- On the phone
- Auf Wiederhören
- See you soon
- Bis bald
- Austria and Bavaria
- Servus, Pfiat di
- Level
- A1
Is Tschüss or Auf Wiedersehen more polite?
Auf Wiedersehen is the more formal of the two, but Tschüss is not rude. Most Germans use it all day, including with people they call Sie, such as a pharmacist or a bus driver. Keep Auf Wiedersehen for interviews, official appointments and older people you don't know.
| German | Register | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tschüss | Neutral to casual | The default goodbye |
| Tschüssi | Cute, casual | Friends, family, children |
| Ciao | Casual | Very common; spelt Italian, said "chow" |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Formal | Interviews, offices, older strangers |
| Auf Wiederhören | Formal | Ending a phone call |
| Mach's gut | Informal | "Take care", to someone you call du |
| Schönen Tag noch | Friendly | Leaving a shop, a café, a colleague |
| Servus | Casual | Austria and Bavaria; also means hello |
| Pfiat di | Casual, regional | Bavaria and Austria, to one person |
A short goodbye usually travels with a wish. A shop assistant says Tschüss, schönen Tag noch!, and you answer Danke, Ihnen auch! or Danke, gleichfalls! (thanks, same to you).
What does Auf Wiedersehen mean literally?
Wieder means "again" and sehen means "to see", so das Wiedersehen is a seeing-again, a reunion. Auf Wiedersehen is "until we see each other again". The phone version swaps sehen for hören (to hear): Auf Wiederhören.
The verb wiedersehen turns up in ordinary sentences too. In this A1 story, Anna reads an email meant for her twin sister and stops at one word:
Er schreibt: "Ich freue mich, dich wiederzusehen."How do you say see you soon or see you tomorrow?
Put bis (until) in front of a time word. It is the most useful goodbye pattern in German, because it says when you will meet again.
Bis morgen!
See you tomorrow!
Bis Montag!
See you on Monday!
Bis gleich!
See you in a minute!
You'll meet again very shortly.
Bis bald!
See you soon!
Bis dann, mach's gut!
See you then, take care!
Informal.
Wir sehen uns nächste Woche.
We'll see each other next week.
When a friend leaves your place at night, add Komm gut nach Hause! (get home safely).
How do you end an email or a phone call in German?
Emails close with greetings, not with a goodbye word. Viele Grüße (many greetings) is the safe all-rounder; Liebe Grüße (often LG) is warm, for friends and family; Mit freundlichen Grüßen is the formal sign-off for official letters and first contact.
Phone calls end in two steps: Also, dann… (right then…) to signal the end, then Tschüss! or, formally, Auf Wiederhören!
Before the goodbye comes the thanks. See how to say thank you in German, and for the greeting at the other end of the conversation, how to say hello in German.
Start a German story at A1 and see how characters greet, argue and part, one cliffhanger at a time.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Tschüss?
Start with "ch" as in "church", then the German ü: say "ee" while rounding your lips as for "oo". The vowel is short, and the final ss is a sharp s. Roughly "chüss", one syllable.
Is it Tschüss or Tschüs?
Both spellings are correct. Tschüss, with a double s and a short vowel, matches how most people say it and is the more common spelling today.
Can I say Tschüss to my boss?
In most German workplaces, yes. It's the normal goodbye between colleagues at every level. In a very formal company or a first meeting, Auf Wiedersehen is the safer choice.
What does Mach's gut mean?
"Take care" or "all the best". It's short for Mach es gut and is informal, used with du. People often say it when they won't see each other for a while.