How to Say “Goodbye” in French Slang 👋
Everyone learns the classic “au revoir”, but in real life, French people rarely use it with friends.
Instead, they have lots of casual, slangy ways to say goodbye.
Let’s look at the most common ones.
1. Salut ✌️
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Meaning: “Bye” / “Hi” (it works both ways).
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Usage: Very common among friends, family, or colleagues in informal situations.
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Example: Bon, je dois y aller. Salut !
2. Ciao 👋 (from Italian)
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Meaning: Casual “bye”.
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Usage: Friendly and light, often used by young people.
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Example: On se voit demain ? — Oui, ciao !
3. À plus (or À plus tard) ➕
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Meaning: “See you later.”
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Spoken slang: often shortened to “À plus” (sounds like ah ploos).
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Example: Je file, à plus !
4. À toute (short for À toute à l’heure) ⏰
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Meaning: “See you soon / see you in a bit.”
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Usage: Used if you expect to see the person later the same day.
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Example: J’ai cours maintenant, à toute !
5. Bisous 😘
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Meaning: “Kisses” → but in slang, it means “bye with affection.”
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Usage: Common in texts, messages, or calls between close friends/family.
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Example (text message): Bonne nuit, bisous !
6. Tchao / Tchuss 🤟
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Tchao: Another spelling of ciao, very common.
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Tchuss: Borrowed from German, used in youth slang, casual and fun.
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Example: Allez, tchuss, à demain !
7. Je me casse / Je me barre 😅 (very slangy)
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Meaning: “I’m off / I’m outta here.”
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Usage: Very informal, only with friends. Don’t use it at work or in formal settings.
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Example: Bon, je me casse, j’ai un train à prendre.
Quick Recap
Instead of au revoir, you can say:
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Salut ✌️
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Ciao / Tchao 👋
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À plus ➕
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À toute ⏰
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Bisous 😘
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Tchuss 🤟
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Je me casse (super slangy) 😅
✅ Practice Challenge: Next time you finish a French class or chat, try using one of these slang expressions instead of au revoir.