How to Say "Goodbye" in Russian

Variants & registers

• покаpoká

  bye - casual, with friends (often doubled: пока-пока)

  informal
• до встречиdo vstréchi

  see you / until we meet again

  neutral
• увидимсяuvídimsya

  see you (soon) - casual

  informal
• спокойной ночиspokóynoy nóchi

  good night - when parting at night

  neutral

Breakdown & pronunciation

Примеры предложений

Usage & etiquette

до свидания literally means "until (our next) meeting" and is the safe, polite goodbye for shops, work and strangers. пока is strictly informal - friendly and warm, but out of place with someone you would address as вы.

до встречи and увидимся both mean roughly "see you" and sit between the two in formality. At night, спокойной ночи ("good night") replaces a plain goodbye.

Practice