Parting phrase

Parting phrases are elements of parting traditions, phrases used to acknowledge the parting of individuals or groups of people from each other.

Parting phrases are specific to culture and situation, varying between persons based on social status and personal relationship.

Contents

Examples

In English, there are formal and informal ways of saying goodbye. In day-to-day speech, people also sometimes use foreign parting phrases like ciao and arrivederci (Italian), au revoir and bon voyage (French), auf wiedersehen and tschüss (German), adiós, hasta la vista, hasta luego, and hasta mañana (Spanish), shalom (Hebrew), sayōnara (Japanese), and aloha (Hawaiian).

Generic ways to say goodbye

  • Adieu
  • All the best
  • Au revoir
    • The best
    • Best
  • Best wishes
  • Catch you around / I'll catch you around
  • Catch you later / I'll catch you later
    • Catch you (or catch ya, catcha)
  • Catch you on the flip side / I'll catch you on the flip side (slang)
  • Check you later / I'll check you later (slang)
  • Cheers
    • Cheerio
  • Ciao
    • Ciao for now
  • Don't be a stranger
  • Farewell
  • Fare thee well
  • God be with you
  • God bless you
  • Godspeed
  • Go in peace
  • Goodbye ("Goodbye" is a shortened form of "God be with ye")
    • Goodbye, for now
    • Bye
    • Bye-bye
    • B'bye
  • Happy trails to you
    • Happy trails
  • 'Kay, den ("okay, then" in Hawaiian pidgin)
  • Keep it real (slang)
  • Keep it relevant (slang)
  • Miss you already / I miss you already
  • Peace be with you
    • Peace
    • Peace out
  • See you around / I'll see you around / I'll see you around, then
  • See you later / I'll see you later / I'll see you later, then
    • See you (or see ya)
    • Later
    • Laters
    • S'later
    • See you later, alligator (slang)
    • Later, alligator (slang)
    • See you, wouldn't want to be you (slang)
  • See you in a while / I'll see you in a while / See you in a little while / I'll see you in a little while
    • In a while / In a little while
    • In a while, crocodile (slang)
  • See you in the funny pages / I'll see you in the funny pages (slang)
  • See you on the flip side / I'll see you on the flip side (slang)
  • See you on the other side / I'll see you on the other side
  • See you soon / I'll see you soon
  • Shoots (Hawaiian pidgin)
    • Shoots, den ("shoot, then" in Hawaiian pidgin)
  • So long
  • Some other time
  • Some other time, then
  • Spot you later (slang)
    • Spot you (or spot ya, spotcha; slang)
  • Take it easy (slang)
  • Take care
  • Talk to you later
  • Ta-ta
    • Ta-ta, for now
    • TTFN
  • Think of me
  • Think on me
    • Think on me while you're gone
  • Till next time / Until next time
  • Toodle-oo (from the French phrase à tout à l'heure)
    • Toodles
  • Vale
  • Zip it up, and zip it out (slang)

Other, more specific phrases

  • Be careful
  • Be gone (hostile)
    • Be gone with you (hostile)
  • Be good
  • Be off (hostile)
    • Be off with you (hostile)
  • Be safe
  • Be wise
  • Bon Voyage
  • Break a leg
  • Buck up
  • Don't do anything I wouldn't do
  • Do well
  • Drive safely / Drive safe
  • Fly a kite (from "Go fuck yourself") (hostile)
  • Go (hostile)
    • Go away (hostile)
  • Go on (hostile)
  • Good luck
    • Good luck to you
  • Good riddance (hostile)
  • Have a good day
    • Good day
    • Good day to you
  • Have a good evening
    • Good evening
  • Have a good night
    • Goodnight
  • Have a good one
  • Have a nice day
  • Have fun
  • I'm off / Well, I'm off
  • Keep a stiff upper lip
  • Keep healthy
  • Keep it going
  • Keep it up
  • Keep strong
  • Keep truckin' (slang)
  • Keep the faith
  • Keep warm
  • Keep well
  • Leave (hostile)
  • Leave me be (hostile)
  • Leave me alone (hostile)
  • Let me alone (hostile)
  • Let me be (hostile)
  • Make like a banana and split (slang)
  • Make like a tree and leave (hostile)
  • Off (hostile)
    • Off with you (hostile)
  • Pack light
  • Pack well
  • Remember me
  • Scram (hostile)
  • See you in a bit / I'll see you in a bit / See you in a little bit / I'll see you in a little bit
    • In a bit / In a little bit
  • See you in Hell / I'll see you in Hell (hostile)
  • Send my regards
  • Send postcards
  • Stay up
  • Stay strong
  • Take a hike (hostile)
  • Travel light / Travel lightly
  • Wish I could come / I wish I could come
  • With you in spirit / I'm with you in spirit
  • Write letters
  • Write to me
  • Deuces

Religious and traditional parting phrases

Some phrases, such as "Live long and prosper", "May the Force be with you" and "I'll be back." are taken from films. Furthermore, all holiday greetings (such as "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Easter") can act as parting phrases.

Written

Most of spoken phrases may also be used in written communication, but there are some specialized ones.

Various cultures historically have elaborate epistolary traditions, in particular how to end a letter, which is seen as a parting with the invisible partner in dialogue.

In English, letters are ended with the sender's name (for example, John Doe). Thus, common epistolary parting phrases include:

  • All my best, John Doe
  • All my best regards, John Doe
  • All my best thoughts, John Doe
  • All my best wishes, John Doe
  • All my regards, John Doe
  • Always, John Doe
  • Always and forever, John Doe
  • Always yours, John Doe
  • As always, John Doe
  • Best, John Doe / The best, John Doe
  • Best regards, John Doe
  • Best wishes, John Doe
  • Best thoughts, John Doe
  • Cheers, John Doe
  • Confidently yours, John Doe
  • Cordially yours, John Doe
  • Forever, John Doe
  • Forever yours, John Doe
  • Hugs, John Doe
  • Hugs and kisses, John Doe
  • Kind regards, John Doe
  • Kind thoughts, John Doe
  • Kind wishes, John Doe
  • Lots of love, John Doe
  • Love, John Doe
  • Love always, John Doe
  • Love as always, John Doe
  • Many thanks, John Doe
  • Much love, John Doe
  • Peace, Jane Doe
  • Regards, John Doe
  • Respectfully, John Doe
  • Respectfully yours, John Doe
  • Sincerely, John Doe
  • Sincerely yours, John Doe
  • Thinking of you, John Doe
  • Thinking sweet thoughts of you, John Doe
  • Until next time, John Doe / Till next time, John Doe
  • Warm regards, John Doe
  • Wishing you the best, John Doe
  • With all my regards, John Doe
  • With all my best regards, John Doe
  • With all my best thoughts, John Doe
  • With all my best wishes, John Doe
  • With anticipation, John Doe
  • With best regards, John Doe
  • With best thoughts, John Doe
  • With best wishes, John Doe
  • With kind regards, John Doe
  • With kind thoughts, John Doe
  • With love, John Doe
  • With my best regards, John Doe
  • With my regards, John Doe
  • With regards, John Doe
  • XOXO, John Doe
  • Your friend, John Doe
  • Yours, John Doe
  • Yours always, John Doe
  • Yours as always, John Doe
  • Yours forever, John Doe
  • Yours in confidence, John Doe
  • Yours in constance, John Doe
  • Yours in faith, John Doe
  • Yours in friendship, John Doe
  • Yours respectfully, John Doe
  • Yours sincerely, John Doe
  • Yours truly, John Doe

See also

References