How to say goodbye in Brazilian Portuguese

Introduction

The most common way to say goodbye in Brazilian Portuguese is tchau. This word works in almost every casual situation, from leaving a friend's house to ending a phone call. You can use it with friends, family, coworkers, and even in most everyday interactions with strangers.

The main word you need: tchau

Tchau is the go-to goodbye in Brazil. It comes from the Italian word "ciao" and has become the standard casual farewell. If you learn only one way to say goodbye, make it this one.

You can use tchau when you are:

Leaving a conversation with friends
Ending a phone call
Saying goodbye to coworkers
Leaving a store or restaurant
Texting or messaging someone

The word works in almost any informal situation. You do not need to worry about choosing the wrong word.

How to pronounce tchau

The word tchau sounds similar to the English word "chow" (like "chow mein"). The "tch" creates a "ch" sound, just like in "church" or "cheese." The "au" part sounds like "ow" in "cow" or "now."

Say it like: CHOW

The stress falls on the single syllable, so you say it with one even beat.

Making it feel natural: tchau tchau

Brazilians often say tchau twice: tchau tchau. This repetition is extremely common and sounds warm and friendly. It does not change the meaning. It simply makes the goodbye feel more natural and less abrupt.

You will hear this version constantly in Brazil. Using it yourself will make you sound more like a native speaker, even as a beginner.

Being more specific: até expressions

If you want to tell someone when you will see them again, you can use até. This word means "until" or "see you." You combine até with a time word to create specific goodbyes.

Common combinations include:

Até logo (see you later)
Até mais (see you later, literally "until more")
Até breve (see you soon)
Até amanhã (see you tomorrow)

These expressions work in casual situations. You can use them instead of tchau or along with it. For example, you can say até logo, tchau to combine both.

How até works

The word até means "until." When you say até amanhã, you are literally saying "until tomorrow." The word amanhã means "tomorrow."

You can create your own combinations by using até plus other time words:

Até segunda (see you Monday, literally "until Monday")
Até sexta (see you Friday)
Até depois (see you later, literally "until after")

A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between things, often involving time or place. In this case, até shows the relationship between now and when you will see the person again.

Informal goodbye options

As you become more comfortable with Portuguese, you might hear other informal ways to say goodbye. These are common among friends and in relaxed settings:

Falou (literally "spoke") is a very casual way to end a conversation. You will hear it frequently among young people and friends. It works like saying "alright" or "later" in English.

Valeu (literally "was worth") means "thanks" but also works as a casual goodbye, similar to saying "cheers" in English. People use it when wrapping up a conversation where someone helped them or when leaving on good terms.

Abraço (hug) is an informal, friendly way to end a conversation. People say it even when not actually hugging. It conveys warmth and friendliness.

These options are bonus vocabulary. You do not need them as a beginner, but you will hear them in real conversations.

The formal goodbye: adeus

Adeus is the formal word for goodbye. It comes from the phrase "a Deus" which means "to God." This goodbye carries a sense of finality, as if you might not see the person again for a long time, or ever.

Most Brazilians rarely use adeus in everyday conversation. It sounds dramatic or overly formal for casual situations. You will hear it more often in songs, poetry, or when someone is genuinely departing for a long time.

For your day-to-day interactions, stick with tchau and the até expressions.

How to respond when someone says goodbye

When someone says goodbye to you, you can respond with the same word they used. If they say tchau, you say tchau back. If they say até logo, you can respond with até logo or simply tchau.

This pattern works for all the goodbye expressions. You do not need to think of something different to say. Repeating what you heard is natural and appropriate.

The one exception is if someone says abraço or another informal expression, you can respond with tchau if you prefer to keep it simple.

Brazilian goodbye culture

Brazilians tend to have warm, extended goodbyes. A single goodbye moment might involve several rounds of farewell phrases, especially when leaving a social gathering or someone's home. You might say tchau, start walking to the door, have another brief conversation, say tchau tchau again, and continue this pattern for a few minutes.

This warmth is part of Brazilian culture. Do not feel rushed. The extended goodbye is a way of showing care and connection.

Physical contact is also common during goodbyes. In many situations, people will kiss on the cheek (usually two kisses, one on each cheek, though this varies by region) or hug. As you learn the language, you will also learn these social customs through observation and practice.

Starting with confidence

You now know the essential ways to say goodbye in Brazilian Portuguese. Begin with tchau. Use it everywhere. As you gain confidence, add tchau tchau to sound more natural. When you feel ready, experiment with até logo or até amanhã.

Learning a new language means starting simple and building gradually. Mastering one word well is better than memorizing ten words you never use. Say tchau with confidence, and you will be speaking real Portuguese from day one.