Other ways to say goodbye: 34 phrases for every situation
The most useful other ways to say goodbye are “See you later” and “Take care” with people you know, “Have a good day” at work or in shops, “It was nice meeting you” after a first meeting, and “I should get going” when you want to leave politely. Below are 34 goodbyes sorted by situation, how to end a conversation without sounding rude, and the mistakes to avoid.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 6 min read
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At work and in emails (7)
| Say | Use it for | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| Have a good day / evening. | Anyone, especially at work | The safest polite goodbye. |
| See you tomorrow. | Colleagues you will see tomorrow | Or “See you Monday.” |
| It was nice meeting you. | Leaving someone you just met | Past tense because the meeting is ending. |
| Thanks for your time. | End of a meeting or interview | “Thanks for your time. I’ll send the notes today.” |
| Let’s keep in touch. | A new contact | Often followed by swapping emails. |
| Talk soon. | Colleague, by email or chat | Friendly but professional. |
| Best regards / Kind regards | Ending an email | “Best” alone is shorter and common in American emails. |
Casual goodbyes (10)
| Say | Use it for | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| Bye! / Bye-bye! | Anyone | “Bye-bye” is softer, often to children. |
| See you! / See ya! | Friends | “See ya” is very casual. |
| See you later. | Anyone you will see again | Doesn’t have to be today. |
| Catch you later. | Friends | Casual and friendly. |
| Take care. | Friends, family, colleagues | Warm, works almost anywhere. |
| Later! / Laters! | Close friends | “Laters” is British slang. |
| Cheers! | UK, casual | Often means both “thanks” and “bye”. |
| Peace out! | Close friends, playful | Old slang; usually a joke now. |
| I’m off. | Leaving a place (UK) | “Right, I’m off. See you tomorrow!” |
| Have a good one! | Anyone, American | Very common with shop staff. |
Leaving a party or a visit (5)
| Say | Use it for | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| I should get going. | Leaving a party or a visit | A polite signal that you will leave soon. |
| I’d better head off. | Leaving, a little more casual | “It’s late. I’d better head off.” |
| Thanks for having me. | Leaving someone’s home or party | Said to the host. |
| This was fun, let’s do it again. | After meeting friends | Shows you enjoyed it. |
| Get home safe. | Friends leaving at night | Caring and common. |
A long goodbye (6)
| Say | Use it for | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| I’ll miss you. | Someone leaving for a long time | Emotional, for close people. |
| Until next time. | Friends you meet now and then | Warm and a little formal. |
| All the best. | Colleagues leaving a job | Also common at the end of emails. |
| Good luck with everything. | Someone starting something new | Leaving a job, moving abroad. |
| Farewell. | Formal, rare in conversation | Used in speeches or writing: “a farewell party”. |
| Stay in touch! | Someone moving away | “Stay in touch! Send me photos.” |
On the phone and by text (6)
| Say | Use it for | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| Talk to you later. | Ending a call | Or “Talk soon.” |
| I’ll let you go. | Ending a call politely | Means “I won’t take more of your time”. |
| Speak soon. | Calls and messages, British | Friendly, professional. |
| TTYL / ttyl | Text: “talk to you later” | Informal texts only. |
| Night! / Night night! | Before bed, by text | Family, partner, close friends. |
| Sweet dreams. | Partner or child at bedtime | Affectionate. |
How to end a conversation politely
- Signal: “Anyway…” / “Well, I should let you get back to work.”
- Say something nice: “It was really good to catch up.”
- Mention next time: “Let’s get coffee next week.”
- Goodbye: “Take care!”
Common mistakes
- “Nice to meet you” when leaving. At the end, say “Nice meeting you” or “It was nice to meet you”.
- “Farewell” in daily life. It sounds like a film or a speech. Use “Bye” or “Take care”.
- Leaving with no signal. Saying “Bye” in the middle of someone’s sentence feels rude. Use “I should get going” first.
- “Good night” at 6 pm. “Good night” is for late evening or bedtime; earlier, say “Have a good evening”.
More everyday phrases
See other ways to say hello, other ways to say thank you and how to keep a conversation going.
Frequently asked questions
What is another way to say goodbye?
Common alternatives are “See you later”, “Take care”, “Have a good day”, “Catch you later”, “Talk soon” and, after meeting someone new, “It was nice meeting you.”
How do you say goodbye professionally?
Say “Thanks for your time”, “Have a good day / evening” or “Let’s keep in touch”. In an email, end with “Best regards” or “Kind regards”.
How do you say goodbye when leaving a party?
First signal that you are leaving with “I should get going”, then thank the host: “Thanks for having me, this was great.” To friends, add “Get home safe.”
What can I say instead of goodbye to someone leaving for a long time?
Say “I’ll miss you”, “Stay in touch”, “Good luck with everything” or “Until next time.” “All the best” works for colleagues leaving a job.
Is it “nice to meet you” or “nice meeting you” when you leave?
When you leave, “Nice meeting you” or “It was nice to meet you” is more natural. “Nice to meet you” is usually said at the start of the meeting.
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