auf Wiedersehen

German

Etymology

Literally: “until our reunion”, “until we see each other again”. Probably a calque of French au revoir. Compare further Italian arrivederci, Dutch tot ziens, English until we meet again and see you, and similar forms in many languages of the world.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /aʊ̯f ˈviːdɐˌzeː(ə)n/
  • Audio(file)

Phrase

auf Wiedersehen

  1. goodbye
    • 1918, Elisabeth von Heyking, Die Orgelpfeifen, in Zwei Erzählungen, Phillipp Reclam jun., page 63–64:
      Und während die beiden Enkel auf dem Bahnhof mit festem Händedruck und einem „Auf Wiedersehen!“ voneinander Abschied nahmen und jeder seines Weges seinem Geschick entgegenschritt, sann Großmama in dem der Heimat zurollenden Zuge nach, wie schön alles werden sollte, […]
      And while the two grandchildren bid farewell to each other on the station with a firm handshake and a "Goodbye!" and each walked his way toward his fate, grandma contemplated in the homeward rolling train how beautiful everything should become […]

Usage notes
  • Auf Wiedersehen is fairly formal in German; it is unlikely to be used between close friends and family members. It is usually used only with people one would address as Sie, not with those one would address as du.

Synonyms

Antonyms
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