In this speaking workshop you will practice German farewells for different situations. You will hear and repeat four common expressions, then use them in short guided exchanges. The goal is to help you choose a goodbye that fits the relationship and setting, and to respond naturally when someone says goodbye to you. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys to check yourself.
Formal and Informal Farewells
German has several common ways to say goodbye. «Auf Wiedersehen» means 'Goodbye' in a formal way. It is a safe choice with strangers, officials, doctors, or in shops. «Tschüss» means 'Bye' and is the most common informal farewell in most of Germany. Use it with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues you know well. «Bis später» means 'See you later' and is casual and friendly. Use it when you expect to see the person again the same day or soon. «Bis bald» means 'See you soon' and is friendly and slightly warmer than Tschüss. Use it when you plan to meet again before long, but not necessarily today. Notice that «Auf Wiedersehen» is longer and more formal, while «Tschüss», «Bis später», and «Bis bald» are shorter and more relaxed.
Hearing Farewells in Short Dialogues
Listen to these short exchanges. In the first, one speaker says: «Guten Tag, Frau Weber. Ich muss jetzt gehen. Auf Wiedersehen!» This means 'Good day, Ms. Weber. I have to go now. Goodbye!' The other speaker replies: «Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Klein. Bis morgen!» This means 'Goodbye, Mr. Klein. See you tomorrow!' Here both people use the formal «Auf Wiedersehen». In the second exchange, one speaker says: «Tschüss, Lisa! Bis später!» This means 'Bye, Lisa! See you later!' The other replies: «Tschüss! Bis bald!» This means 'Bye! See you soon!' Here both people use informal farewells. Notice how the formal scene uses titles and full names, while the informal scene uses a first name and shorter expressions.
Choosing the Right Farewell
When you say goodbye in German, think about two things: who you are talking to and when you expect to see them again. If you are speaking to someone you do not know well, or in a formal setting, «Auf Wiedersehen» is a reliable choice. If you are speaking to a friend, family member, or someone you know well, «Tschüss» is common and natural. If you expect to see the person again the same day or soon, «Bis später» works well. If you plan to meet again before long but not necessarily today, «Bis bald» is a friendly option. You can also combine farewells, as in «Tschüss! Bis bald!» or «Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Klein. Bis morgen!» In the recordings, «Bis morgen» means 'See you tomorrow' and appears in the formal exchange. Use the answer keys in the exercises to check your choices.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Auf Wiedersehen
Goodbye (formal)
owf VEE-der-zayn (final -n fully pronounced)
Tschüss
Bye
chuess (ü as in French 'tu'; final -s is voiceless, like 'ss')
Bis später
See you later
bis SHPay-ter (ä as in English 'bed')
Bis bald
See you soon
bis balt
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Guten Tag, Frau Weber. Ich muss jetzt gehen. Auf Wiedersehen!
Good day, Ms. Weber. I have to go now. Goodbye!Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Klein. Bis morgen!
Goodbye, Mr. Klein. See you tomorrow!Tschüss, Lisa! Bis später!
Bye, Lisa! See you later!Tschüss! Bis bald!
Bye! See you soon!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Formal Exchange
You are leaving a doctor's office. The doctor is a stranger you address formally. You have said goodbye and expect to see the doctor again soon, but not necessarily tomorrow.
Your task: Play the role of the patient. Say a formal goodbye and add a friendly 'see you soon' expression. Use only expressions from the recordings. Then listen to the model answer and repeat it aloud.
Reply Comprehension and Choice
You hear a friend say: «Tschüss, Lisa! Bis später!» You are Lisa. You will see your friend again soon, but not necessarily today.
Your task: Choose the best reply from the options below. Then say your chosen reply aloud. Option A: «Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Klein. Bis morgen!» Option B: «Tschüss! Bis bald!» Option C: «Guten Tag, Frau Weber. Ich muss jetzt gehen. Auf Wiedersehen!»
Recall with Correct Roles
You will hear two short scenes. In Scene 1, a person says goodbye to Ms. Weber formally and expects to see her tomorrow. In Scene 2, a person says goodbye to Lisa informally and expects to see her later the same day.
Your task: Without looking at the recordings, say the correct farewell lines for both scenes. For Scene 1, play the person leaving and then the person staying. For Scene 2, do the same. Use only expressions from the recordings.
Common questions
Can I use «Tschüss» in a shop or with a stranger?
«Tschüss» is informal and is most common with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues you know well. In a shop or with a stranger, «Auf Wiedersehen» is a safer formal choice. If you are unsure, use «Auf Wiedersehen».
What is the difference between «Bis später» and «Bis bald»?
«Bis später» means 'See you later' and is used when you expect to see the person again the same day or soon. «Bis bald» means 'See you soon' and is used when you plan to meet again before long, but not necessarily today. Both are friendly and informal.
Sources and further reading
- german: saying goodbye formal informalChecked September 2026
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