Saying Farewell in Your Country

There are so many wonderful ways of saying farewell and good luck.

Where are YOU from?

What is your racial heritage?

How does our community say goodbye in different languages and cultures?

Let us learn from you. And even let people in your own community get back in touch with some special traditions that have been lost.

So be a farewell ambassador for your region or background, and describe how to say goodbye in the traditional way that is treasured, celebrated, witnessed.

See some examples at the bottom of the page.

Eastern Church gift: An icon of our Lady is a traditional gift for long-serving clergy.

Japanese culture: Spring is also known as the Farewell Season, or the Farewell and Welcome Season, because life starts anew (blossoms) and life resumes (work, school).

Rarotonga gift: A necklace made of shells (shell lei) is a traditional farewell gift – this is also traditional in other Polynesian islands.

Russian ritual: To not clean up the house/room your guest has stayed in, after your visitor has left. For preserving their energy in the house.

Saying farewell in another language:
Goodbye in Russian: до свида́ния da svidaniya
Farewell in Russian: Прощайте proš'ánije

Goodbye in Serbian: Doviđenja!
Farewell in Serbian: Zbogom!

Goodbye in German: Auf Wiedersehen
Farewell in German: das Lebewohl

Goodbye in Chinese: 再见 zài jiàn
Farewell in Chinese: 别了 bié le

Goodbye in Italian: Arrivederci
Farewell in Italian: Addio

Goodbye in Japanese: それでは Sore dewa
Farewell in Japanese: さようなら Sayōnara

Goodbye in French: Au revoir
Farewell in French: Adieu

Goodbye in Turkish: Hoşçakalın
Farewell in Turkish: Elveda

Goodbye in Spanish: Chao
Farewell in Spanish: Adiós

Turkish-Cypriot ritual: After a party with friends and family, the person leaving will get into their car; when they drive off, a bucket of water is thrown on the road behind the car in the car's direction. The water symbolises a river, where a current will take you away on a smooth journey, and hopefully the current will give you a smooth return.

From Mr. Adebisi, London
Saying farewell, until we meet again:
O da boo,
O di gba kan na oo,
O di gboose.
O di gba kan na oo = Until some time from now
Oju a tun ra ri oo = We shall soon see each other again.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
(Irish Blessing)

Saying Farewell In Your Country (Top)