HOME Wait, “Sayonara” Isn’t Natural Japanese?! Check Out the Curious Ways to Say Goodbye in Japanese! Show
 Date published: 19 February 2020
You'll probably be scratching your head on this one. Isn't "Sayonara" the way to say goodbye in Japanese? Well yes and...no. You may have come across a few expressions such as “Konnichiwa” and “Sayonara”, but what do Japanese people really use in daily life? In fact, “Sayonara” can seem almost rude in some situations! It’s much more common for people to say “Mata ne” or “Ja ne!” especially if they know each other well. The true meaning of sayonaraWhat exactly is the meaning of Sayonara then? Many people translate “Sayonara” as “Goodbye”, but in reality, there are many different forms of goodbye in Japanese! Unlike the English, “Sayonara” really means “Goodbye forever” or “Goodbye, I don’t know when I’ll see you again”. Because of this, Japanese people will rarely use the word. Although children use it to their teacher after school sometimes, they soon learn the nuance and tend not to use it as adults, as it implies that you never want to see the person again. Some people may use this in breakups or other situations where they don’t intend to meet up anymore. So, how do natives say goodbye in Japanese?We’ve told you why to avoid saying sayonara, so how do you say goodbye in Japanese instead? We’ve collected a few ways to say your farewells in different situations – and avoid any awkward situations! ◆ Saying Goodbye in Japanese to Your FriendsWhen you meet up with a friend, of course you can be very casual, and don’t need to worry too much about using polite Japanese (phew!). For the most part, a lot of young people will simply use the English “Bye bye” – though what’s funny is that many Japanese children now think this is a Japanese phrase! Other casual expressions that are similar to “See ya!” are “じゃ (Ja)” “じゃぁね (Jaa ne)” and “またね (Mata ne)”. To get a bit more specific, try using one of the following: ◆ How to Say Goodbye in the WorkplaceIn a one-on-one situation with a work friend, you can easily use one of the friendly expressions from above, but in an office situation with more people or supervisors are present, there’s a slightly different etiquette. When leaving work and saying goodbye to a superior or a group
of colleagues, it’s more polite to say one of the following: If you’re a superior saying goodbye at the end of the workday, you can instead say “Gokurosama deshita (Good job today)”. It’s important to pay attention to your relationship with who you’re talking to in the workplace. Saying “mata ne” to your boss would be rather inappropriate, and “sayonara” might assume you don’t want to ever come back to work! ◆ How to Say Goodbye to New Friends While SightseeingWhether you’re in Japan for business or sightseeing, you’re likely to meet a number of new people on your way, but what kind of phrase should you use then? They’re not close friends, and although you may not see them again, you don’t want to be rude! If you are at a homestay or hostel, or if someone has invited you on a trip, you can say “Arigatou Gozaimasu (ありがとうございます)” to say thank you. Otherwise, you can simply say “Tanoshikatta desu (楽しかったです)” to say you had fun, and express that you enjoyed your time with that person. If you really want to see that person again, you can even say “Mata zehi (また是非)”, to say “Let’s meet up again!” So, there are loads of ways to say “goodbye” in Japanese! It might seem daunting to think that there are different ways of saying it for different situations, but if it’s your first time in Japan and you want to seem friendly, we recommend saying “Ja ne” instead of “Sayonara”. Maybe you’ll make some new friends during your stay in Japan! *This information is from the time of this article's publication. Search for International flights
Is saying sayonara rude?no. You may have come across a few expressions such as “Konnichiwa” and “Sayonara”, but what do Japanese people really use in daily life? In fact, “Sayonara” can seem almost rude in some situations! It's much more common for people to say “Mata ne” or “Ja ne!” especially if they know each other well.
Is Sayonara too formal?Sayonara – 元気で Genki de All the best
Say goodbye and at the same time wish them well with this awesome little phrase. It is quite informal and should not be used in formal situations.
Should I use sayonara?As sayonara has a slightly formal sound to most Japanese, it is often used ironically to mean farewell and good riddance. For example, you might say sayonara to a disliked worker or a terrible job, and here its implication is that you hope it will be a long time before you encounter its ilk again is understood.
Is Sayonara a sad word?“Sayonara” the perfect word to say after killing someone. Indeed, “Sayonara” implies that you will never see the person again. It's a bit sad, and it sounds odd in some situations. For example, imagine yourself saying “Farewell” to your co-workers at the end of your working day?
|
Is it OK to say sayonara?
Copyright © 2024 ShotOnMac Inc.
