It is said that life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. Both greetings and parting phrases are often some of the first expressions we learn when picking up a new language. You may already know that the most common ways to say “hello” and “goodbye” in Swedish are hej and hej då.
But since we say hellos and goodbyes so often—in fact, several times a day—you might want to switch up your ways to begin and end conversations. That’s where this article comes into the picture.
In a previous article, we already went through a list of various Swedish greetings. Today, it’s time to learn all the things Swedes might say when parting ways. Let’s get started with the most well-known parting phrase in Swedish!
The Most Common “Goodbye” in Swedish: Hej då
| Hej då | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Goodbye |
| Pronunciation: | Hey doe |
The first parting phrase that most Swedish learners learn is typically hej då. It is the most common way to say “goodbye” in Swedish. If you only remember one phrase from today’s article, let it be this one.
The literal translation of the phrase sounds a bit strange: “hello then.” However, it is simply used for “goodbye,” and it can be used in basically any setting, whether formal or informal.
You’ll recognize the hej as meaning “hello/hi” in Swedish. As you can see, “hello” and “goodbye” in Swedish are quite closely related. Interestingly, it is not uncommon for Swedes to say hej when they’re ending a conversation. So, depending on the context, hej can actually be used as a “bye”. For example, when ending a phone call, you might hear Swedes end it with:
- Jag måste gå nu. Hej. (I have to go now. Bye.)
- Tack hej. (Thanks, bye.)
- Hej så länge. (Bye for now.)
- Hej hej. (Bye-bye.)
As you may recall from our article on saying “hello” in Swedish, Swedes often repeat short words twice. Hej hej is, therefore, a common way to say “goodbye” in Swedish. Note, however, that hej då is never doubled. So, don’t make the rookie mistake of telling someone hej då-hej då.
“See you” in Swedish: Vi ses
| Vi ses | |
| Translation/equivalent: | See you |
| Pronunciation: | Vee says |
Sometimes, it’s not goodbye, but see you later. When you will likely see the other person again, you can use the Swedish phrase Vi ses. This literally means “we’ll see each other”. If you have an idea of when you’ll meet the person next, you can also add a time to the expression. Some common examples of this:
- Vi ses senare. (See you later.)
- Vi ses snart. (See you soon.)
- Vi ses i morgon. (See you tomorrow.)
- Vi ses nästa vecka. (See you next week.)
- Vi ses på fredag. (See you on Friday.)
There are also two other expressions that are very similar to vi ses:
- Vi syns. (See you.)
- Vi hörs. (See you/Keep in touch.)
Vi syns literally means “we’ll be visible to each other.” This might sound a bit funny to the English-speaking ear, but it really carries the same meaning as “see you.”
Vi hörs literally means “we’ll hear from each other,” but it is also used in the context of “see you.” Because of the added meaning of one hearing from each other, it can also express the sentiment of “keep in touch.”
Formal Ways to Say “Goodbye” in Swedish
There are also some more formal parting phrases in the Swedish language. Some of them sound quite old-fashioned, but all of them are good to be aware of. After all, you’ll want to understand the parting phrases in that Swedish period drama you’ve been thinking of watching.
Formally Bidding Someone Adieu: Adjö
| Adjö | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Adieu/Farewell |
| Pronunciation: | Ah-yuh |
Adjö comes from the French word “adieu,” which you can find variations of in several different languages (for example, “adiós” in Spanish). This also includes the English language, where adieu is most commonly used in the expression “I bid you adieu.”
The word originally means “to God,” but in Swedish, its usage is similar to how one would use “farewell.” Saying adjö sounds old-fashioned and a bit fancy.
If you like the sound of adjö but you don’t want to sound particularly fancy, you can go for one of the slang versions of the word:
- Ajöss (Pronunciation: Ah-yuss)
- Ajöken (Pronunciation: Ah-yuh-ken)
These slightly humorous expressions will keep you from sounding overly formal. However, they won’t necessarily keep you from sounding antiquated, as they are also quite dated. Note that the “d” in adjö is silent, which is why the casual slang versions are generally spelled without the silent letter.
Formally Bidding Someone Farewell: Farväl
| Farväl | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Farewell |
| Pronunciation: | Far-val |
The next formal way to say “goodbye” in Swedish is farväl. It is not hard to guess that this is the exact equivalent of the English word “farewell.”
Like its equivalent, it is often said when you will not see the other person again, at least not for a longer time. It is associated with someone taking a long journey, as can be understood from the word “fare,” which is an older word for “travel.” Because of these connotations, saying farväl could make you sound not only old-fashioned but a bit dramatic.
Formally Hoping You’ll See Them Again: På Återseende
| På återseende | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Until next time |
| Pronunciation: | Poe oh-tur-say-en-duh |
På återseende literally means “upon seeing you again.” It is a formal expression that can be used when you believe you will meet the person again. It can be used both when you expect to see the other person soon or when you think it will be a long time until you meet them again. It can also be used at the end of a written message.
Formally Signing With Kind Regards: Med Vänliga Hälsningar
| Med vänliga hälsningar | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Kind regards |
| Pronunciation: | Mead van-lee-gah hells-ning-ar |
Speaking of written messages, let’s talk about one of the most common formal ways to end an email: Med vänliga hälsningar. The phrase literally means “with friendly greetings,” and it is similar to ending an email with “Kind regards.”
As its English equivalent, it is something you write before signing with your name at the end of the message. It is also common to use the abbreviation MVH or one of the following variations of the phrase:
- Med vänlig hälsning (With friendly greeting)
- Vänliga hälsningar (Friendly greetings)
- Vänlig hälsning (Friendly greeting)
Phrases to Say “Goodbye” in Swedish at Night: God natt
| God natt | |
| Translation/equivalent: | Good night |
| Pronunciation: | Goo-nut |
In the article about greetings, you learned phrases related to the time of day, such as:
- God morgon (Good morning)
- God dag (Good day)
- God eftermiddag (Good afternoon)
- God kväll (Good evening)
The next logical phrase to follow would be god natt, meaning “good night.” This is a phrase for today’s article, as it is not a greeting but a parting phrase. Swedes say god natt when saying goodbye to someone about to go to bed.
If you are speaking to a friend, you can also add one of the following phrases to your god natt:
- Sov gott (Sleep well)
- Dröm sött (Sweet dreams)
Other Phrases to Say “Goodbye” in Swedish
Want even more phrases to add to your vocabulary? Here is a list of other common expressions that are said when you say “goodbye” in Swedish:
- Ha det bra (Have a good one)
- Ha en bra dag (Have a good day)
- Ta hand om dig (Take care)
- Trevlig helg (Have a nice weekend)
- Till nästa gång (Until next time)
Now You Can Say “Goodbye” in Swedish: What’s Next?
If you want to learn Swedish fast, you need to focus on the right vocabulary. When you start with expressions that you’ll use often in conversation, you’ll be able to start speaking Swedish sooner.
For example, you can improve your vocabulary with our articles on how to express gratitude or how to say you like or love someone in Swedish.
Learning these kinds of phrases allows you to connect with Swedish people and build relationships with them. This is useful whether you have a romantic partner from Sweden or if you’re just trying to get along with your Swedish colleague.
One of the best ways to learn Swedish is by surrounding yourself with the Swedish language. You can listen to music, watch movies, and read books in Swedish. There are also many helpful Swedish learning apps that gamify the experience. Check out apps like Duolingo or Clozemaster, that help you practice the vocabulary you’ve learned.
You can also check out Swedish YouTube channels to expose yourself to native Swedish pronunciation. Check out the two videos below to hear some Swedish content creators talk about how to say “goodbye” in Swedish:
- Say It in Swedish: How to say GOOD BYE in SWEDISH
- Fun Swedish: 10 Ways to say GOODBYE
With videos such as these, you can gain further insight into how Swedes say “goodbye” to each other.
Which expression are you planning to use as your signature Swedish “goodbye”? Whichever you choose, we hope you enjoyed getting familiar with these Swedish parting phrases.
Well, that’s all for today. Bye for now! Or as we say in Swedish: Hej så länge!
Clozemaster has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in Swedish.
Take your Swedish to the next level. Click here to start practicing with real Swedish sentences!
