In German
Auf Wiedersehen
Meaning: goodbye (formal)
Formal or informal? “Auf Wiedersehen” is the formal goodbye: use it with strangers, at work, with elders, and in official places. Among friends it sounds too stiff.
Example sentences
AufWiedersehen,HerrSchmidt.
Goodbye, Mr Schmidt.
AufWiedersehenundvielenDank.
Goodbye, and thank you very much.
IchwünscheIhneneinenschönenTag.AufWiedersehen!
I wish you a nice day. Goodbye!
Grammar note
Literally “until we see again”: “auf” plus the noun “das Wiedersehen” (a reunion). The -en ending is the standard spelling.
Common mistake
“Wiedersehn” without the -en is a colloquial spelling. Use “Auf Wiedersehen” in writing and formal speech.
Quick check
Which is the formal goodbye you'd use with a stranger or a boss?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Is “Auf Wiedersehen” too formal for everyday use?
With friends, yes. With colleagues you know well, “Tschüss” or “Bis bald” is normal.
What do you say on the phone?
“Auf Wiedersehen” is common at the end of a business call. Many people also say “Schönen Tag noch”.