goodbye
さようなら
"Sayounara" is the standard way to say "goodbye" in Japanese. While it is widely recognized by learners, it carries a sense of finality or a long-term departure, often implying that you will not see the person for a significant amount of time. In daily life, Japanese people rarely use "sayounara" with friends or family, as it can sound slightly cold or overly dramatic. Instead, they prefer more casual phrases like "jaa ne" or "mata ne." Reserve "sayounara" for formal settings, farewells at school, or situations where you are saying goodbye for a long period.
In conversation
Teacher leaving school
先生、さようなら！
Goodbye, teacher!
さようなら、また明日ね。
Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
Used here in a traditional school setting where formal greetings are standard.
A dramatic parting
もう二度と会わないかもしれないね。さようなら。
We might not meet again. Goodbye.
さようなら。元気でね。
Goodbye. Take care.
The heavy, final nuance of the word makes it suitable for this serious, melancholic context.
Examples
先生、さようなら。
せんせい、さようなら
Goodbye, teacher.
長い間お世話になりました。さようなら。
ながいあいだおせわになりました。さようなら。
Thank you for everything over the years. Goodbye.
彼とはさようならすることにした。
かれとはさようならすることにした。
I decided to say goodbye (to end the relationship) with him.
