How do you say goodbye in Spanish?

Goodbye in Spanish is adiós as the textbook answer, but hasta luego (see you later) and chao or chau are far more common in casual speech. Nos vemos (see you) and que te vaya bien (have a good one) are warm everyday options.

What's the difference between adiós and hasta luego?

Adiós carries a hint of finality; native speakers often use it for longer partings. Hasta luego is the everyday default for see you later, used when you'll see the person again soon. For a quick break or short trip, hasta luego is the right choice.

How do you pronounce adiós?

Adiós is ah-DYOHS, two syllables, stress on DYOHS. The accent on the o tells you to stress that syllable. The s at the end is a clean s, not a z sound.

How do I remember when to use which goodbye?

Hear native speakers leave conversations in real time, with the layered goodbyes, the chao, the que te vaya bien, the long send-offs. Parrot's videos pull these moments into focus so the right goodbye becomes automatic.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Goodbye in Spanish: Adiós, Hasta Luego, Chao, and the Right Choice

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Adiós · interjection · ah-DYOHS

Goodbye in Spanish is adiós, but native speakers more often use hasta luego (see you later) or chao / chau (casual bye). Nos vemos and que te vaya bien are warm everyday options. Adiós itself carries a touch of finality.

Adiós is ah-DYOHS, two syllables, stress on DYOHS. Hasta luego is AH-stah LWEH-goh; chao is chow; nos vemos is nohs BEH-mohs.

Hasta luego, nos vemos mañana.

See you later, we'll meet tomorrow.

Goodbye in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for goodbye, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
adiós	goodbye	ah-DYOHS	Default, widely understood
hasta luego	goodbye		see you later (most common everyday)
chao / chau	goodbye		casual bye (Italian-influenced)
hasta mañana	goodbye		see you tomorrow
nos vemos	goodbye		see you (informal)
que te vaya bien	goodbye		have a good one (warm)

How Native Speakers Use Adiós

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Casual see-you-later

¡Hasta luego, nos vemos en la oficina!

See you later, we'll see each other at the office!

Hasta luego is the workhorse goodbye for everyday speech. Use it when you'll see the person again soon.

Quick casual bye

Bueno, chao, cuídate.

Alright, bye, take care.

Chao (also written chau in Argentina and Uruguay) is the lightest, friendliest goodbye. Common between friends.

Warm send-off

Que te vaya bien, abuela.

Have a good one, grandma.

Que te vaya bien lands warmer than goodbye. Common at the end of phone calls and casual partings.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Adiós

Using adiós for short partings

Incorrect: Adiós, vuelvo en cinco minutos.

Correct: Hasta luego, vuelvo en cinco minutos.

Adiós in modern Spanish has a touch of finality, so saying it before stepping out for five minutes sounds dramatic. Hasta luego or ahorita vuelvo is more natural.

Mispronouncing chao as English chow

Incorrect: chow

Correct: chao (chah-oh, slightly blended to chow but with two clean Spanish vowels)

Chao does sound like English chow but the Spanish vowels are purer: ah and oh. Anglicizing it flattens the sound.

Why Goodbye Matters in Spanish-Speaking Cultures

Goodbyes are slow

In Spanish-speaking cultures, goodbyes often take a while: hasta luego, chao, que te vaya bien, nos vemos, all in sequence, layered with cheek kisses or hugs. Trying to wrap up with a single quick adiós and walking away can feel abrupt. Native speakers expect the long goodbye.

Lock in Goodbye Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Adiós used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using adiós in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Hasta luego, nos vemos mañana. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Goodbye in Spanish

How do you say goodbye in Spanish?: Goodbye in Spanish is adiós as the textbook answer, but hasta luego (see you later) and chao or chau are far more common in casual speech. Nos vemos (see you) and que te vaya bien (have a good one) are warm everyday options.
What's the difference between adiós and hasta luego?: Adiós carries a hint of finality; native speakers often use it for longer partings. Hasta luego is the everyday default for see you later, used when you'll see the person again soon. For a quick break or short trip, hasta luego is the right choice.
How do you pronounce adiós?: Adiós is ah-DYOHS, two syllables, stress on DYOHS. The accent on the o tells you to stress that syllable. The s at the end is a clean s, not a z sound.
How do I remember when to use which goodbye?: Hear native speakers leave conversations in real time, with the layered goodbyes, the chao, the que te vaya bien, the long send-offs. Parrot's videos pull these moments into focus so the right goodbye becomes automatic.