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N5 · Phrase guide

Sayounara — Why Japanese Rarely Say Goodbye

さようなら

さようなら

Goodbye (formal/final)

Nuance

Implies you may not see someone for a long time. Daily partings use じゃあね, またね, お疲れ様, or バイバイ.

Cultural note

Teachers and children use さようなら more. Adults leaving work almost never say it—they say お先に失礼します.

Examples

  • さようなら。

    Goodbye.

    Graduation ceremony

  • じゃあ、また明日。

    See you tomorrow.

    Leaving coworkers

Common mistakes

  • Saying さようなら every day to the same coworkers
  • Using it at the end of a phone call with friends (バイバイ is common)

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Related phrases

お疲れ様失礼します