How to Say Farewell Phrases in French When Leaving Someone's Home
Learn French phrases for leaving a friend's or host's home, including thanks for having me, it was lovely, and let's do this again soon.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When you leave someone's home in France, a simple au revoir can feel abrupt. Hosts often expect a short thank-you and a warm wish to meet again. This lesson teaches beginner-friendly French phrases for that exact moment: thanking your host, saying you enjoyed the visit, and suggesting another get-together. You will also learn which phrases are casual or polite, and how to avoid a common mistake with the verb voir.
By the end, you can…
- thank a host in French as I leave their home.
- say I enjoyed the visit and suggest meeting again soon.
- choose between casual and polite farewell phrases for different hosts.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Merci de m'avoir invité.
Thanks for having me.
mehr-see duh ma-vwahr an-vee-tay
Standard polite thanks to a host. If you are female, write invitée, but the pronunciation is the same. Use it when you were a guest.
Merci pour cette soirée.
Thanks for this evening.
mehr-see poor set swah-ray
Very common when leaving a dinner or evening gathering. Replace soirée with après-midi (ah-pray-mee-dee) for an afternoon visit.
C'était très sympa.
It was really nice.
say-teh tray sam-pah
Casual and warm. Sympa is informal but widely used among friends, family and younger colleagues.
On se refait ça bientôt ?
Shall we do this again soon?
on suh ruh-feh sah byan-toh
Friendly suggestion for friends or close acquaintances. The question mark is optional in speech; your rising intonation does the work.
J'ai passé un très bon moment.
I had a really good time.
zhay pah-say un tray bon moh-mahn
Polite and sincere. Good with hosts you do not know well, including a partner's parents or a work colleague.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Many French farewells to a host use merci + de/pour + noun or infinitive. Merci de m'avoir invité thanks someone for the act of inviting you. Merci pour cette soirée thanks them for the event itself. To suggest a repeat, use On se refait ça bientôt ? literally 'we redo that soon?' The pronoun on is common in spoken French for 'we'. For a polite version, say J'espère qu'on se reverra bientôt (I hope we'll see each other again soon).
When to use it
Match the phrase to the host and the event. With close friends, C'était très sympa and On se refait ça bientôt ? sound natural. With a boss, a teacher or someone older you have just met, choose Merci de m'avoir invité and J'ai passé un très bon moment. If you are the last guest to leave, add Bonne soirée or Bonne nuit before the door closes. In Canada, bienvenue can mean 'you're welcome' after thanks, but in France it means 'welcome' on arrival, so do not use it as a reply to merci.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Merci pour cette soirée, c'était très sympa.
Thanks for this evening, it was really nice.mehr-see poor set swah-ray, say-teh tray sam-pahJe suis content que tu sois venu.
I'm glad you came.zhuh swee kon-tahn kuh tew swah vuh-newJ'ai passé un très bon moment. On se refait ça bientôt ?
I had a really good time. Shall we do this again soon?zhay pah-say un tray bon moh-mahn. on suh ruh-feh sah byan-tohAvec plaisir ! Bon retour.
With pleasure! Have a safe trip home.ah-vek play-zeer. bon ruh-toorA little context goes a long way
In France, leaving a home often involves a short round of goodbyes rather than one quick exit. Thanking the host and naming the event feels warmer than a bare au revoir. Tu is normal with friends and family; vous is safer with unfamiliar or older hosts. In Quebec, Bonne soirée is common, and the informal farewell Bonne chance is not used for this situation.
One thing to watch for
Saying On se voit ça bientôt ? to mean 'Let's do this again soon.'
Try this instead: Use On se refait ça bientôt ? for repeating an activity. On se voit means 'we see each other', so On se voit bientôt ? means 'See you soon?' and does not thank the host or suggest repeating the event. A safe polite alternative is J'espère qu'on se reverra bientôt.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are leaving a friend's dinner and want to say 'Thanks for this evening.' What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Merci pour cette soirée.
This directly thanks the host for the evening. Merci pour ce dîner also works if the meal was the main event.
2Your host is your new manager. Which phrase is more appropriate: C'était très sympa or J'ai passé un très bon moment ?
Show a sample answer
J'ai passé un très bon moment.
This is polite and neutral. C'était très sympa is not rude, but sympa is informal and better with friends or close colleagues.
3How do you suggest meeting again soon in a friendly way?
Show a sample answer
On se refait ça bientôt ?
This is a natural spoken suggestion. On se revoit bientôt ? is also possible, but it focuses on seeing each other rather than repeating the event.
When leaving a French-speaking home, thank your host for the specific event, say you enjoyed it, and suggest a repeat with On se refait ça bientôt ? Match tu or vous to your relationship.
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