Japanese - Goodbyes

Lesson 3 of 168

Smiling people saying goodbye in Japanese on a sunny street — shows Japanese farewell phrases like さようなら and また明日.

Goal: Common ways to leave politely and casually

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome back! This is Lesson 3 — short, friendly, and useful. Practice these closing lines by listening, repeating, and trying them out loud.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn and practice common Japanese goodbyes and short closing phrases like さようなら (Sayōnara), じゃあね (Jā ne), また明日 (Mata ashita), and おやすみなさい (Oyasumi nasai). We'll hear the phrases, see them in a tiny conversation, and practice with quick quizzes — CEFR-aligned and ready for real farewells.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and say common farewell phrases (polite and casual).
  • Use appropriate goodbye lines for different situations (friends, coworkers, night time).
  • Practice short polite closers like 気をつけてください (Ki o tsukete kudasai).
  • Build confidence saying each phrase aloud (A1 level practice).
Two coworkers finishing a daytime chat and using polite and casual goodbyes in Japanese — lesson about goodbye phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

さようなら

Sayōnara.

Goodbye.

Meaning: Goodbye.

When to use: A polite farewell used to end a conversation, often when you don’t expect to see the person again soon or when you want a formal tone.

Tip: Some learners use さようなら for brief, casual partings; it's more natural for formal or longer goodbyes.

それでは、さようなら。

Sore dewa, sayōnara.

Well then, goodbye.
遠くに引っ越す友だちに「さようなら」と言いました。

Tōku ni hikkosu tomodachi ni 'sayōnara' to iimashita.

I said 'goodbye' to a friend moving far away.

じゃあね

Jā ne.

Bye.

Meaning: Bye.

When to use: A casual, friendly goodbye for friends, classmates, or people you know well.

じゃあね、またね！

Jā ne, mata ne!

Bye, see you!
友だちと電話を切るときに「じゃあね」と言います。

Tomodachi to denwa o kiru toki ni 'jā ne' to iimasu.

I say 'bye' when ending a call with a friend.

またあとで

Mata ato de.

See you later.

Meaning: See you later.

When to use: Use when you expect to meet the person again the same day or soon — neutral tone, neither very formal nor very casual.

掃除が終わったらまたあとでね。

Sōji ga owattara mata ato de ne.

See you later after the cleaning is done.
またあとで、カフェで会おうか？

Mata ato de, kafe de aō ka?

See you later — shall we meet at the café?

また明日

Mata ashita.

See you tomorrow.

Meaning: See you tomorrow.

When to use: A routine farewell when you plan to meet again the next day; common among classmates, coworkers, and friends.

明日も学校で会うね。では、また明日。

Ashita mo gakkō de au ne. Dewa, mata ashita.

We’ll meet at school tomorrow. Well then, see you tomorrow.
では、また明日。気をつけて帰ってね。

Dewa, mata ashita. Ki o tsukete kaette ne.

See you tomorrow. Take care on your way home.

気をつけてください。

Ki o tsukete kudasai.

Take care.

Meaning: Take care.

When to use: Polite phrase to wish someone safety when they are leaving or traveling; appropriate in many everyday contexts.

遠くまで行くなら、気をつけてください。

Tōku made iku nara, ki o tsukete kudasai.

If you're going far, please take care.
帰り道、気をつけてくださいね。

Kaerimichi, ki o tsukete kudasai ne.

Please be careful on your way home.

よい一日を

Yoi ichinichi o.

Have a good day.

Meaning: Have a good day.

When to use: A pleasant closing wish when parting during the day; slightly less common in Japanese than in English but useful.

よい一日を！今日はがんばってください。

Yoi ichinichi o! Kyō wa ganbatte kudasai.

Have a good day! Do your best today.
お店の人に『よい一日を』と言いました。

Omise no hito ni 'yoi ichinichi o' to iimashita.

I said 'have a good day' to the shop worker.

そちらも、よい一日を。

Sochira mo, yoi ichinichi o.

You too.

Meaning: You too.

When to use: Polite reply to wishes like 'よい一日を' — a gentle, polite way to return the good wish.

店員さん: よい一日を。お客さん: そちらも、よい一日を。

Ten'in-san: Yoi ichinichi o. Okyaku-san: Sochira mo, yoi ichinichi o.

Clerk: Have a good day. Customer: You too, have a good day.
先生に『よい一日を』と言われたので、そちらも、よい一日をと答えました。

Sensei ni 'yoi ichinichi o' to iwareta node, sochira mo, yoi ichinichi o to kotaemashita.

My teacher said 'have a good day,' so I replied 'you too, have a good day.'

そろそろ行かないといけません。

Sorosoro ikanakya ikemasen.

I have to go.

Meaning: I have to go.

When to use: Polite way to say you need to leave soon; softens the ending of a conversation and gives a reason-free exit.

Tip: Beginners sometimes cut this to an unnatural phrase; shorter casual forms are fine with friends, but keep the polite form with strangers.

そろそろ行かないといけません。いい時間をありがとう。

Sorosoro ikanakya ikemasen. Ii jikan o arigatō.

I have to go soon. Thank you for the nice time.
すみません、そろそろ行かないといけません。

Sumimasen, sorosoro ikanakya ikemasen.

Sorry, I have to go soon.

もう行かないといけません。

Mō ikanakya ikemasen.

I need to go now.

Meaning: I need to go now.

When to use: A polite phrase that signals you must leave immediately; useful when timing is urgent or fixed.

もう行かないといけません。お先に失礼します。

Mō ikanakya ikemasen. Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu.

I need to go now. Excuse me for leaving first.
すみません、もう行かないといけません。ありがとうございました。

Sumimasen, mō ikanakya ikemasen. Arigatō gozaimashita.

Sorry, I need to go now. Thank you.

お話できてよかったです。

Ohanashi dekite yokatta desu.

It was nice talking to you.

Meaning: It was nice talking to you.

When to use: A warm, polite closing after a pleasant conversation; good with new acquaintances or polite contexts.

お話できてよかったです。ぜひまたお話しましょう。

Ohanashi dekite yokatta desu. Zehi mata ohanashi shimashō.

It was nice talking to you. Let's talk again.
会議のあとに『お話できてよかったです』と言いました。

Kaigi no ato ni 'ohanashi dekite yokatta desu' to iimashita.

I said 'it was nice talking to you' after the meeting.

おやすみなさい。

Oyasumi nasai.

Good night.

Meaning: Good night.

When to use: Said at night or before going to sleep; polite: おやすみなさい, casual: おやすみ.

Tip: Learners sometimes say おやすみなさい too early in the evening; reserve it for night-time or when someone is going to sleep.

晚ごはんのあとで友だちに『おやすみなさい』と言いました。

Bangohan no ato de tomodachi ni 'oyasumi nasai' to iimashita.

After dinner I said 'good night' to my friend.
電話の最後に『おやすみなさい。いい夢を。』

Denwa no saigo ni 'oyasumi nasai. Ii yume o.'

At the end of the call: 'Good night. Sweet dreams.'

また後で話しましょう。

Mata ato de hanashimashō.

Talk to you later.

Meaning: Talk to you later.

When to use: Polite way to say you'll speak again later; good when you expect further contact.

メールの後で『また後で話しましょう。』と書きました。

Mēru no ato de 'mata ato de hanashimashō.' to kakimashita.

I wrote 'talk to you later' after the email.
では、また後で話しましょう。良い日を！

Dewa, mata ato de hanashimashō. Yoi hi o!

Well then, let's talk later. Have a nice day!

では、また

Dewa, mata.

Bye for now.

Meaning: Bye for now.

When to use: A short, polite temporary goodbye; works well in both casual and slightly formal settings.

では、また。お元気で。

Dewa, mata. Ogenki de.

Bye for now. Take care.
会話を終えるときに『では、また』と言いました。

Kaiwa o oeru toki ni 'dewa, mata' to iimashita.

I said 'bye for now' when ending the conversation.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends leave a café in the evening.

Anna and David say short Japanese farewells at a café table: またあとで, 気をつけてください, おやすみなさい.

Do they plan to meet again tomorrow?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

今日は楽しかった！お話できてよかったです。

Kyō wa tanoshikatta! Ohanashi dekite yokatta desu.

Today was fun! It was nice talking to you.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

僕も。そろそろ行かないといけません。もう遅いから。

Boku mo. Sorosoro ikanakya ikemasen. Mō osoi kara.

Me too. I have to go soon. It's already late.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

じゃあね。気をつけてください。

Jā ne. Ki o tsukete kudasai.

Bye. Take care.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

ありがとう。では、また明日。

Arigatō. Dewa, mata ashita.

Thanks. Well then, see you tomorrow.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

また明日。おやすみなさい！

Mata ashita. Oyasumi nasai!

See you tomorrow. Good night!

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

おやすみ。そちらも、よい一日を（おやすみの夜に言うなら『おやすみ』でOK）。

Oyasumi. Sochira mo, yoi ichinichi o (oyasumi no yoru ni iu nara 'oyasumi' de OK).

Good night. You too — have a good day (at night 'oyasumi' is fine).

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase would you use with a close friend when leaving a cafe?

What should you say if you need to leave right now politely?

Which reply is best for someone who says よい一日を to you?

If it's late and someone is going to bed, which phrase fits best?

At the end of the meeting, I said 'It was nice talking to you' to my boss.

会議の終わりに、上司に「___」と言って席を立ちました。

If a friend says 'Have a good day,' you reply 'You too, have a good day.'

友だちに『___』と言われたら、『そちらも、よい一日を。』と返します。

I said 'Take care' to a friend walking to the station when we parted.

駅まで歩く友人に『___』と言って別れました。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

さようなら

Sayōnara.

Goodbye.

Say this phrase out loud:

じゃあね

Jā ne.

Bye.

Say this phrase out loud:

またあとで

Mata ato de.

See you later.

Say this phrase out loud:

また明日

Mata ashita.

See you tomorrow.

Say this phrase out loud:

気をつけてください。

Ki o tsukete kudasai.

Take care.

Say this phrase out loud:

よい一日を

Yoi ichinichi o.

Have a good day.

Say this phrase out loud:

そちらも、よい一日を。

Sochira mo, yoi ichinichi o.

You too.

Say this phrase out loud:

そろそろ行かないといけません。

Sorosoro ikanakya ikemasen.

I have to go.

Say this phrase out loud:

もう行かないといけません。

Mō ikanakya ikemasen.

I need to go now.

Say this phrase out loud:

お話できてよかったです。

Ohanashi dekite yokatta desu.

It was nice talking to you.

Say this phrase out loud:

おやすみなさい。

Oyasumi nasai.

Good night.

Say this phrase out loud:

また後で話しましょう。

Mata ato de hanashimashō.

Talk to you later.

Say this phrase out loud:

では、また

Dewa, mata.

Bye for now.