How to Say Goodbye in Russian
How to say goodbye in Russian: 'До свидания' (da svee-DA-nee-ya) is the polite goodbye; 'Пока' (pa-KA) is casual. Pronunciation guide and variations inside.
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Quick answer
To say goodbye in Russian, say 'До свидания' (da svee-DA-nee-ya) — the polite, formal farewell meaning 'until we meet again'. For a casual 'bye', say 'Пока' (pa-KA).
До свидания
/da svee-DA-nee-ya/ — Russian
How to Say Goodbye in Russian
The polite way to say goodbye in Russian is До свидания (da svee-DA-nee-ya), which literally means “until we meet again”. For a casual farewell among friends, Russians say Пока (pa-KA), the equivalent of “bye”. Once you have this down, learn to say hello (Здравствуйте) and bye (Пока) in Russian too.
The Polite Farewell: До свидания
До свидания — pronounced da svee-DA-nee-ya — is your formal goodbye.
Use it with:
- Strangers and people you have just met
- Elders, teachers, officials and superiors
- Colleagues and professional contacts
It literally means “until the meeting” — до (until) + свидания (a meeting/seeing) — an optimistic farewell that looks forward to the next encounter, much like French au revoir.
Copy the Phrase
The Russian for goodbye is До свидания (da svee-DA-nee-ya).
All the Ways to Say Goodbye in Russian
| Russian | Transliteration | Pronunciation | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| До свидания | Do svidaniya | da svee-DA-nee-ya | Formal, polite goodbye |
| Пока | Poka | pa-KA | Casual “bye” |
| Пока-пока | Poka-poka | pa-KA pa-KA | Cheerful “bye-bye” |
| До встречи | Do vstrechi | da FSTRYE-chee | ”Until we meet” |
| Увидимся | Uvidimsya | oo-VEE-dim-sya | ”See you” |
| Счастливо | Schastlivo | shchas-LEE-va | ”All the best / take care” |
| До завтра | Do zavtra | da ZAF-tra | ”See you tomorrow” |
| Прощай | Proshchay | pra-SHCHAI | ”Farewell” (heavy, long parting) |
Formal vs. Informal
Russian ties farewells to the pronouns вы (formal) and ты (informal), just like greetings.
Formal (вы):
- До свидания — the standard polite goodbye
- Всего доброго (fsye-VO DOB-ra-va) — “all the best”, warm and formal
- Счастливого пути (shchas-LEE-va-va poo-TEE) — “have a good trip”
Informal (ты):
- Пока — everyday casual bye
- Увидимся / До встречи — “see you / until we meet”
- Давай (da-VAI) — a very casual “alright, bye” (literally “let’s”, a colloquial sign-off)
Pronunciation Tips
- The stress in свидания falls on DA: svee-DA-nee-ya.
- Unstressed ‘о’ reduces to ‘a’, so до sounds like da.
- In До встречи, the ‘в’ devoices next to the voiceless ‘с’, so it comes out da FSTRYE-chee.
- Прощай ends in the soft -щай — say pra-SHCHAI, with the щ as a long soft ‘shch’.
Cultural Notes
Прощай (pra-SHCHAI) carries emotional weight — it implies a long or even permanent parting, so do not use it for an everyday goodbye or you may sound dramatic. For ordinary partings, stick to До свидания (formal) or Пока (casual). The colloquial Давай! is hugely common on the phone among friends, often doubled as Ну давай, пока! (“alright then, bye!”). A small superstition: Russians avoid saying long goodbyes in a doorway, considering it bad luck to talk across a threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say goodbye in Russian?
The formal goodbye is 'До свидания' (da svee-DA-nee-ya), meaning 'until we meet again'. The casual goodbye is 'Пока' (pa-KA), like 'bye'. Choose based on how well you know the person and the setting.
How do you pronounce До свидания?
Say da svee-DA-nee-ya, with the stress on 'DA' in the middle. The first 'до' reduces to 'da', and 'свидания' flows as svee-DA-nee-ya. It is one of the most-used polite phrases in Russian.
What is the difference between До свидания and Пока?
'До свидания' (da svee-DA-nee-ya) is formal and polite — for strangers, elders, colleagues and professional settings. 'Пока' (pa-KA) is informal — for friends, family and peers, like saying 'bye' or 'see ya'.
What does До свидания literally mean?
До свидания literally means 'until the meeting' or 'until we see each other again' — 'до' (until) + 'свидания' (meeting/seeing). So it is an optimistic farewell that anticipates the next meeting, similar to French 'au revoir'.
What are other ways to say goodbye in Russian?
Say 'До встречи' (da FSTRYE-chee) for 'until we meet', 'Увидимся' (oo-VEE-dim-sya) for 'see you', 'Счастливо' (shchas-LEE-va) for 'all the best', and 'Прощай' (pra-SHCHAI) for a heavy 'farewell' implying a long or final parting.