French guides · French words explained
Au revoir: until we see each other again.
Au revoir means “goodbye” — but literally it says something warmer: au (“to the”) + revoir (“seeing again”). Until the next time we see each other. It is pronounced oh ruh-VWAHR, it is correct with absolutely anyone, and unlike English “goodbye” it carries no finality at all. The French goodbye that does sound final is a different word — and you almost never want it.
Saying it, properly
Two French R sounds land in one short phrase, which is why it trips people up. The good news: nobody expects a perfect French R from a beginner, and a light, breathy version is completely understandable.
| Written | Say it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| au | oh | one clean vowel, like the o in “go” |
| revoir | ruh-VWAHR | the oi spelling always says “wah” |
| au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR | stress lands on the last syllable |
Spoken quickly, au revoir often comes out closer to “or-VWAHR”, with the middle syllable swallowed. That is normal, not sloppy — and hearing it that way will help you catch it in the wild.
Every French goodbye, ranked by distance
| French | Say it | Register / meaning |
|---|---|---|
| au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR | goodbye — safe with anyone, anywhere |
| salut | sah-LEW | bye — friends only (it means “hi” too) |
| à bientôt | ah byan-TOH | see you soon — you expect to meet again |
| à plus tard | ah ploo TAR | see you later — same day |
| à plus | ah PLOOSS | “laters” — casual; here the s IS pronounced |
| à demain | ah duh-MAN | see you tomorrow |
| à tout à l’heure | ah too tah LUR | see you in a bit — later today |
| adieu | ah-DYUH | farewell — final, dramatic, rare |
It genuinely means “I do not expect to see you again” — deathbeds and opera. Au revoir is what you want, every single time.
What French people add after it
A bare au revoir is correct but a little bare. Real goodbyes almost always come as a pair — the goodbye, then a wish for the rest of their day.
| Full goodbye | Say it | Time of day |
|---|---|---|
| au revoir, bonne journée | oh ruh-VWAHR, bun zhoor-NAY | morning to late afternoon |
| au revoir, bonne soirée | oh ruh-VWAHR, bun swah-RAY | evening |
| au revoir, bon week-end | oh ruh-VWAHR, bohn week-END | Friday |
| au revoir, bonne continuation | bun kohn-tee-nwah-SYOHN | someone mid-task or mid-journey |
Leaving a shop, merci, au revoir, bonne journée is the complete, entirely natural exit. Learn it as one block and you will use it daily.
Where you have met it already
Au revoir has travelled into English almost intact — usually spoken with a raised eyebrow, and often spelled “au revoir” in books where the character is being theatrical.
It also gave its name to Louis Malle’s 1987 film Au revoir les enfants (“Goodbye, children”). If you have heard the phrase and not known its weight, that title is where the warmth of “until we see each other again” does its work.
Hear it, then say it
Reading about French isn’t speaking French.
Cocoon French teaches through slow, visual stories you understand from the first line — and a free Club account includes full lessons plus a speaking drill that listens to you say the French out loud and tells you how you did. No card required.
Quick answers
Au revoir, answered.
Leaving politely, in every register.