Updated: 8 July 2019
Ask anyone how to say goodbye in Persian and they’ll tell you khodâ hâfez (which in spoken form sounds more like khodâfez) or maybe even khodâ negahdâr (no shortened form for this one). That’s all well and good. I mean, they are totally accurate (they literally mean “May God protect you”) and are arguably the most common forms, but there’s no reason why you can’t up your Persian game and try a few variations. So check out these 13 creative ways to say goodbye in Persian and sound more nativelike in the process.
[قربونت [برم
Ghorbunet [beram]
Literally: I’ll sacrifice myself for you
This expression again! I feel like I’ve written about this one so many times that you’ve all got it down pat. But it’s just so universally used, including to say goodbye. You guys remember my local Azeri grocer who always tells me he’ll sacrifice himself for me when I leave? No clue what I’m talking about? Check it out here.
به امید دیدار
Be omide didâr
Meaning: Hope to see you soon
فعلا
Felan
Literally: For now
How to use it: An informal “goodbye” to use with close friends.
تا بعد
Tâ ba’d
Literally: Until later
Meaning: See you later
میبینمت
Mibinamet
Literally: I’ll see you.
Meaning: Another informal, “See you later”.
با اجازه
Bâ ejâze
Literally: With permission
How to use it: This is used in formal situations to excuse yourself. I use it a lot with my neighbors when I see them around the building. We exchange pleasantries, they ask how I’m doing, how’s your dad, when is he visiting next, pass him our regards, etc…, and then I excuse myself with a bâ ejâze.
ما رفتیم
Mâ raftim
Literally: We went
Meaning: I’m outta here.
How to use it: A informal/slang way to say goodbye. This is one of those situations where the speaker uses mâ (we) to mean man (I).
Chaharmahal o Bakhtiari province
روز خوبی داشته باشید
Ruze khubi dâshte bâshid
Meaning: Have a nice day!
مراقب خودت باش
Morâghebe khodet bâsh
Meaning: Take care
به سلامت
Be salâmat
Literally: [Go with] health
I hear this a lot from taxi drivers when I arrive at my destination.
شبتون بخیر
Shabetun bekheyr
Meaning: Good night.
به امید خدا
Be omide khodâ
Literally: God’s hope
Another one I hear commonly from taxi drivers or from relatives when I leave their houses.
بدرود
Bedrud
Less commonly heard, but “goodbye” nevertheless.
Mix and match goodbyes
Much like thank you, you can mix and match goodbyes, too. A typical ending to a phone conversation with my cousin goes like this: Pas mibinamet, ghorbunet, khodâ hâfez (so I’ll see you, I’ll sacrifice myself for you, bye). Other times it’s felan, khoda hâfez. You get the idea.
Your task: Next time you say “goodbye” to someone in Persian use one other than khodâ hâfez or khodâ negahdâr.
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