Hello Language Junkies!
Want to say bye in Russian?
If you already know how to say hello in Russian, then this here is the next step. You’re about to get hit with 14 ways to say bye in Russian. Why 14? So you have variety and sound like a fluent, confident speaker, my dear junkie.
Keep reading to find out more. Take this lesson…
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1. Bye – Пока
- Пока
- Pronunciation: Poka
This is probably the easiest and the most popular word in Russian to say bye to someone. Remember, this is not formal – you should not say [Poka] to your boss, but if you can use it with friends.
2. Goodbye (formal) – До свидания
- До свидания
- Do svidanya
This is official way to say Goodbye in Russia. If you meet your boss or professor and you want to be polite ending the conversation – use it. You can use this word in everyday life also with your friends, but it’s better just to say {Poka}.
3. See you later – До встречи
- До встречи
- Do vstrechi
You can say this phrase to anybody (no rules or formalities) – it’s polite and good. Make sure you roll the {r} really hard if you want to say it properly.
Here’s one more way to say “see you.”
4. See you – Увидимся
- Увидимся
- Oovidimsya
This is also frequently commonly-used phrase for saying “See you later” in Russia. However, it’s not as formal as the phrase before – “До встречи” – which you can use with bosses and people of higher status.
5. Farewell – Прощайте
- Прощайте
- Proshayte
This phrase sounds formal, right? It’s also fairly emotional and final. Something two lovers in a movie would say before separating. In daily conversations, Russians don’t really use “Прощайте” very often.
6. Good night – Спокойной ночи
- Спокойной ночи
- Spokoynoy nochi
You can use this when someone’s going to sleep (or in movies, when someone kills or knocks out another person).
Remember, you are NOT greeting people at night with this phrase. If you want to use {Good night} as a greeting, you have to say [Dobroy nochi]. Don’t confuse these phrases.
7. Good luck – Счастливо
- Счастливо
- Shastlivo
This expression actually means “Good luck”, because the original word is “Счастье”, what means “Luck”. Old people say it all the time. It’s not a problem if you use it though, it sounds good and polite.
8. Have a good trip – Счастливого пути
- Счастливого пути
- Shastlivovo puti
You can use this when someone is going to a trip. It’s just like “Have a good/nice trip” in English.
9. Bye – Всего доброго (phone and mail)
- Всего доброго
- Vsevo dobrovo
Literally it means “everything good.” As if you’re wishing them all the best.
This is the best way for ending phone or text conversations. It’s formal, cultural and polite. If you say it to somebody in everyday life, that’s also okay. It also means [Good luck] or [God bless].
10. Bye – Давай (slang)
- Давай
- Davay
Want it learn slang? This is how you’d say bye in Russian – in slang. Young people use it all the time (especially boys/men). [Davay] really means “Come on”, but young people use it as a parting greeting.
Now, the next set of words are taken from other languages.
11. Bye – Адиос (borrowed from Spanish)
- Адиос
- Adios
12. Bye – бай (borrowed from English)
- бай
- Bye
13. Bye – аревуар (borrowed from French)
- аревуар
- Au revoir
14. Bye – ауфидерзеен (borrowed from German)
- ауфидерзеен
- Auf Wiedersehen
These borrowed words are well-known ways to say bye. Russians know them. However they don’t use them much in everyday life… for obvious reasons. But don’t worry, if you say these in Russia, it will be okay – you will not shock nobody.
Conclusion
And that’s it!
Do you know of other ways to say bye in Russian? Leave a comment below and I’ll add it to this list.
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– written by the Main Junkie
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