# Au Revoir Meaning — What It Means and How to Say Goodbye in French

> **Au revoir** (oh ruh-VWAHR) means “goodbye” — literally “until the seeing again”. It is polite with anyone. In practice French speakers usually pair it with **bonne journée** or **bonne soirée**.

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Updated: 2026-09-07

## 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 |

**In fast speech it shrinks** — 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 |

**Do not use adieu** — 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.

## FAQ

### What does au revoir mean in English?

Goodbye. Literally it breaks down as “to the seeing again” — the sense is “until we see each other again”, so it implies a next time rather than a final parting.

### How do you pronounce au revoir?

oh ruh-VWAHR. The au is a single “oh”, the oi in revoir says “wah”, and the stress falls on the last syllable. Spoken fast it often sounds like “or-VWAHR”.

### Is au revoir formal?

It is neutral, which means it is never wrong. Use it with strangers, shopkeepers, colleagues and friends alike. Salut is the informal alternative, but only for people you already know.

### What is the difference between au revoir and adieu?

Au revoir expects a next meeting; adieu says there will not be one. Adieu is rare, literary and heavy — avoid it in normal conversation.

### What do you say after au revoir?

Add a wish for the rest of their day: bonne journée during the day, bonne soirée in the evening, bon week-end on a Friday.

### Can au revoir mean “see you later”?

It can, but French has more precise options: à tout à l’heure for later the same day, à bientôt for soon, à demain for tomorrow.

## Related guides

- French greetings: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/french-greetings
- How to say hello in French: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/hello-in-french
- 50 common French phrases: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/common-french-phrases
- All free French guides: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides