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au revoir

au revoir

28 8.5
A polite way to say goodbye when you expect to see someone again
  • noun
  • /oʊ rɪˈvwɑr/
: hasta luego
  • "Au revoir," he called out.
  • say au revoir
  • au revoir, my friend
  • au revoir. Goodbye

Examples

  • I will soon say au revoir to you.

    Blog text (7)
  • " Au revoir—we'll see you again!

    Fiction book (1995)
  • - I just wanted to say au revoir.

  • I just wanted to say, au revoir, and thank you for your help.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • "Au revoir," the Director says.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • - Let's say au revoir.

  • I loved the way you said "au revoir."

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Au revoir,my dear.

  • Au revoir, dear lady.

  • I just wanted to say au revoir and thank you for your help.

Synonyms

bye
vsau revoir
  • Informal
∞ 1.0

A short word or action people use when they leave each other

is used especially when leaving briefly rather than for long partings
goodbye
vsau revoir
747 1.0

Words people say when they leave each other

is used mainly when leaving briefly rather than for long farewells
good-bye
vsau revoir
653 1.0

Words or actions people use when they leave

is used mainly for short departures rather than permanent partings
goodby
vsau revoir
  • Archaic
434 3.0

A short phrase people say when they leave each other

is used especially for temporary departures rather than forever
bye-bye
vsau revoir
  • Informal
397 1.1

A friendly informal way to say goodbye when leaving

is a French phrase used for normal temporary departures and is more neutral
good evening
vsau revoir
338 1.0

A polite greeting or farewell used in the evening

is used at parting for temporary departures and is not time bound
see ya
vsau revoir
  • Texting
222 8.4

A friendly way to say goodbye when you expect to meet again

is a neutral French expression often used for temporary leave
farewell
vsau revoir
194 1.9

A speech or action that says goodbye and wishes someone well

is used especially for temporary leave rather than formal long partings
good day
vsau revoir
  • Formal
176 1.0

A polite or formal way to say goodbye when parting

is used more for leaving briefly and in everyday speech
adios
vsau revoir
  • Informal
50 7.2

A word people use to say goodbye

is the French form typically used for brief departures
sayonara
vsau revoir
25 8.6

A goodbye used when someone leaves for a long time

is used mainly for temporary leaving rather than implying a final departure
cheerio
vsau revoir
  • UK
14 8.9

A friendly way to say goodbye

is used when leaving often temporarily in a neutral register
arrivederci
vsau revoir
11 9.8

A friendly way to say goodbye

is the French form used for temporary leave rather than Italian
auf wiedersehen
vsau revoir
8 9.8

A German phrase people use to say goodbye

is the French phrase used more for temporary partings
bonsoir
vsau revoir
5 8.9

A French greeting or farewell people say in the evening to mean good evening

is used more generally at parting and not restricted to evenings
good-by
vsau revoir
2 4.4

Words or actions people use when they leave each other

is used mainly when leaving briefly not for final farewells
so long
vsau revoir
  • Informal
1 6.3

A casual word for goodbye used when leaving someone

is used for leaving often briefly but not necessarily casual

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

A short greeting you say when you meet someone or answer the phone

Surface Forms

au revoir singular
au revoirs plural

Morphology

au + revoir

The phrase is compositionally built from French elements meaning roughly 'to/at the seeing again' (au + revoir), which transparently conveys 'until we see each other again' → farewell. Although the words are not English, if a learner knows the constituent meanings the overall sense is directly derivable and matches a common cross-linguistic parting construction.

Etymology

Au revoir comes from French: au means 'to' and revoir means 'see again'. So it began as a wish 'to see you again', and today it is a polite way to say 'goodbye' when you expect to meet someone again.