auf Wiedersehen

[ ouf vee-duhr-zey-uhn ]

interjection

, German.

1. until we meet again; goodbye for the present.

auf Wiedersehen

/ auf ˈviːdərzeːən /

sentence substitute

1. goodbye, until we see each other again

Example Sentences

The cast of popular TV series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet will celebrate 40 years of the show at a reunion event in Newcastle's City Hall next May.

From BBC

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet ran for two series in the 1980s and returned for another series, and a two-part special, in 2002 and 2004.

From BBC

Another film, “Auf Wiedersehen,” explored her mother’s forced exile from Europe during the Holocaust as a source of intergenerational trauma.

From New York Times

“Auf Wiedersehen, Fräulein!” calls the handsome one, waving.

From Literature

Then we turn into an office with a desk and portrait of Hitler and a waiting area with chairs, and Edith says auf Wiedersehen, which is not good, because now I don’t know what anyone is saying.

From Literature

More About Auf Wiedersehen

What does auf Wiedersehen mean?

Auf Wiedersehen is a common German expression meaning “until we meet again” or “goodbye.” It is familiar to many English speakers, some of whom use it in English as a fancy way of saying goodbye, in the same way that other similar terms have been adopted into English, such as ciao (from Italian) and au revoir (from French).  

It can be used as part of a farewell sentence, similar to saying “Goodbye, we’ll see you soon,” or by itself as a full sentence, similar to simply saying “Goodbye.” It is not unusual for it to be used even when the two parties have no intention of seeing each other again, much like saying “See you later.”  

Due to German spelling conventions, Wiedersehen is capitalized, but it’s often left lowercase in casual use. 

Example: It was great seeing you! Auf Wiedersehen!

Where does auf Wiedersehen come from?

Auf Wiedersehen is a German expression that literally translates to “until we meet again.” Despite the term’s literal meaning, the phrase is typically used the same way as the English word goodbye.

Auf Wiedersehen is the most common German farewell, used by a large portion of German speakers. Among English speakers, it is familiar for its use in popular culture by German stereotypes and caricatures whose defining trait may be their heritage or German accent.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for auf Wiedersehen?

• au revoir
• ciao
• adieu
• adios
• goodbye

What are some words that often get used in discussing auf Wiedersehen?

• German
• parting
• interjection

How is auf Wiedersehen used in real life?

Auf Wiedersehen is an example of a familiar non-English parting expression that has been adopted into English, much like ciao and au revoir. Some English speakers use it as a fancy way of saying goodbye. 

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu.
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.

I'm off social media for most of the weekend to have some family time. See you all again on monday. Have a good one.

— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) June 5, 2020

This is Karma. EIGHT (!) years since Frank Lampard's goal against Germany wasn't given, VAR knocks Germany out.

GOODBYE. AUF WIEDERSEHEN

— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) June 27, 2018

That’s it. The final programme of the 125 to mark the 250th anniversary. Bereft. Auf wiedersehen, Ludwig.

— Donald Macleod (@DonaldMacleod01) November 14, 2020

Try using auf Wiedersehen!

Which of the following expressions is NOT a synonym of auf Wiedersehen?

A. good morning
B. until we meet again
C. farewell for now
D. see you soon