Goodbye: We say it almost every day. We say it to someone over the phone or to our classmates or colleagues we are going to see the next day again. Sometimes, it is the last word we say to the people close to us when fate decides to pull us apart or even strangers we meet, even for the briefest moments. Talking about Japanese Culture, there are different ways to say Goodbye in Japanese at every different time.
From ‘See you later” to “Take care of yourself”, there are many lines that we add to our ‘goodbyes’. And then, there are times when we don’t even have to say the word itself and simply go with “Goodnight” or “Good morning”.
In this article, we will show you different ways to say goodbye in Japanese.
The Language of Japan is the 9th most-spoken language in the world and the third-largest language on the Internet. More and more people around the globe are enrolling in Japanese schools to be able to speak this fascinating language. Here is your chance to learn some goodbye phrases in Japanese language that you can say to your Japanese friends.
How To Say Goodbye In Japanese
- Sayonara (さよなら)
You would think that Sayonara simply means “Goodbye’ in Japanese and that it is commonly used in Japan. Well, you’d be wrong. It actually means “Farewell” or “Goodbye forever”. So, unless you are not planning to meet the person again anytime soon or at all, avoid using this word. - Bai bai (バイバイ)
Meaning “Bye bye” is the most common and casual way of saying “Bye” in Japanese. - Mate ne (じゃあね is またね)
Mate ne is a casual way of saying “Later” or “See you later” in Japanese. It can also mean “See you soon” in Japanese. You can tell this to your friends or family members you see almost every day. - Ja ne (じゃあね)
Another casual way of saying bye in Japanese, Ja ne means “See ya”. You can tell this to your friends and family but not to your boos or your elders. - Mata ashita (また明日)
Mata ashita translates to “See you tomorrow”. So, you can say this to your work colleagues after work or your classmates at school after classes. - Oyasumi Nasai (おやすみなさい)
Oyasumi Nasai is a formal way of saying ‘Goodnight” When you talk to someone on the phone or meet up with friends at night, and you can bid them farewell by saying this. - Oyasumi (おやすみ)
Oyasumi is a casual way of saying ‘Goodnight” and can be said to anyone at night. - Otsukaresama desu (お疲れ様です)
Otsukaresama desu is a formal way of saying bye in Japanese to coworkers. This Japanese phrase will come in handy before you leave your office. - Osewa ni narimasu (お世話になります)
Osewa ni narimasu translates to “Thank you for everything”. Let’s say someone has helped you the whole day, and when the time comes to part ways, you want to say something other than just “Goodbye”, you can simply add “Osewa ni narimasu”, and they will know that you are thanking them for their support or help. - Ki wo tsukete (気を付けて)
Ki wo tsukete means “Take care”. When you say “Goodbye” to someone, and you want to tell them to be safe or to be careful on their way home, you can say “Ki wo tsukete”. - O-genki de (お元気で)
O-genki d is a way of saying “Stay well” or “All the best”. You can tell this to your loved ones or even colleagues who you won’t be seeing for a while. It is a way of wishing someone well, so it will be helpful and meaningful to say it to your Japanese friends when you bid them goodbye during this pandemic. - Ittekimasu (いってきます、行って来ます)
Ittekimasu translates to “I will go and come back”. You can say this to your family members before you leave your house to go somewhere. - Ojama shimashita (お邪魔しました)
When someone invites you over for dinner or lunch, you want to thank them before you leave while saying “Goodbye”. You can say Ojama shimashita, which is a polite way of saying “Thanks for having me” or “Thank you for inviting me over“. - Okiotsukete okaeri kudasai (お気をつけてお帰りください)
Okiotsukete okaeri kudasai is a formal way of saying “Have a safe trip back home“. If you work in the hospitality industry, this Japanese phrase is something you need to know. You can also say this to your house guests who are about to leave. - Osaki ni (お先に)
Let’s say you are having lunch with your friends and you are in a hurry. You can say “Goodbye” followed by “Osaki ni’, which means “I’ll leave first” or “I will go ahead”.
Well, there you have it – 15 different ways to say goodbye in Japanese. We hope this article helps you in enhancing your Japanese language skills.
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We will leave you here with our best wishes.
Until next time, Sayonara for now!