Farewells

Goodbyes in Arabic are short blessings. The form depends on whether you expect to see the person again soon.

Where English flattens almost every parting into "bye," Arabic distinguishes several. The default — مع السلامة (maʿa s-salaama, "with peace") — is universal across the Arab world and works at any register. More elaborate forms add a religious dimension (fii amaan illaah), an explicit expectation of meeting again (ilaa l-liqaa'), or a time-bound blessing for the rest of the day or the night ahead.

As with greetings, farewells are usually a small exchange, not a single line. The person leaving says one phrase and the person staying replies with another. Treating maʿa s-salaama as a wave-goodbye and walking away misses half the convention; the staying party is expected to bless the leaver in return.

The default farewell

Goodbye (literally: with peace)

مع السلامة maʿa s-salaama

The default goodbye, said by the person staying to the person leaving. Universal across MSA and dialects.

Goodbye (reply, said by the leaver)

الله يسلّمك allaah ysallmak / ysallmik

"May God keep you safe." The expected reply to maʿa s-salaama. Saying nothing or just maʿa s-salaama back is fine if you cannot remember this, but the reply is the warmer move.

More formal or religious

Goodbye (in God's protection)

في أمان الله fii amaan illaah

A warmer, more religious sign-off, especially common in Gulf and Levantine speech. Often abbreviated to fii amaan Allaah or bi-amaan Allaah.

Until we meet again

إلى اللقاء ilaa l-liqaa'

MSA, formal. You hear it on news broadcasts and in letters more than in conversation. In speech it sounds slightly bookish.

Goodbye (peace upon you, parting form)

السلام عليكم as-salaamu ʿalaykum

Yes — the same phrase that opens a conversation can close one too. In many religious or older contexts, parties exchange as-salaamu ʿalaykum / wa-ʿalaykum as-salaam on both ends.

Night-time

Good night (literally: may you wake to good)

تصبح على خير tuSbiH ʿalaa khayr

Said when parting at night or before sleep. Feminine: tuSbiHiin ʿalaa khayr; plural: tuSbiHuun ʿalaa khayr.

Good night (reply)

وأنت من أهل الخير wa-anta min ahl al-khayr

"And may you be among the people of goodness." A formal reply. In casual speech the reply is often just winta min ahlu or w-inta tuSbiH ʿalaa khayr.

Sweet dreams

أحلام سعيدة aHlaam saʿiida

Used among friends, partners, family. Not for a stranger.

Casual sign-offs

Bye (very casual, pan-Arab)

يلّا باي yallaa bay

A code-switch with English. Common among younger speakers and over the phone — the yallaa ("come on") softens the abrupt English bye.

See you

بشوفك bashuufak / bashuufik

Levantine and Egyptian. Informal — between friends or peers.

See you tomorrow

بشوفك بكرا bashuufak bukra

See you later

بشوفك بعدين bashuufak baʿdayn

Take care of yourself

دير بالك على حالك diir baalak ʿalaa Haalak (Lev.) / khalliik fii Haalak (Eg. variant)

Egyptian specifics

Bye (Egyptian casual)

سلام salaam

A clipped salaam on its own functions like English "later." Casual; not for a meeting with a superior.

Bye (Egyptian, on the phone)

إيه، سلام eeh, salaam

Levantine specifics

Bye (Levantine, casual)

يلّا yallaa

On its own, often the spoken cue that a phone call is ending. Sometimes paired: yallaa, baʿdayn baHkiilak.

Have a good day / safe road

الله معك allaah maʿak / maʿik

Gulf and Maghrebi

Goodbye (Gulf, warm)

في أمان الله fii amaan illaah

Heavily used across the Gulf. The reply is often fii amaan il-kariim.

Goodbye (Moroccan)

بسلامة bslama

A Maghrebi contraction of bi-s-salaama. Functions as the standard goodbye in Morocco and parts of Algeria.

Goodbye (Tunisian)

بسلامة / فيلمان bislaama / filmaan

filmaan is a contracted fii amaan, common in Tunisian.

Travelling, leaving the country

Safe travels (literally: may you go and come safely)

تروح وترجع بالسلامة tirruuH wa-tirjaʿ bi-s-salaama

Safe travels (shorter)

رحلة سعيدة riHla saʿiida

May God protect you

الله يحميك allaah yiHmiik / yiHmiiki

Common mistakes

Treating maʿa s-salaama as something the leaver says. It is said by the person staying. The leaver replies with allaah ysallmak. Using it the wrong way around is not catastrophic, but native speakers will notice.
Reaching for ilaa l-liqaa' in casual situations. It is correct MSA but sounds bookish in conversation — like saying "until our next encounter" to a barista.
Wrong gender on tuSbiH. Saying tuSbiH ʿalaa khayr to a woman should be tuSbiHiin ʿalaa khayr. Many learners freeze the masculine form and say it to everyone.
Skipping the reply. Walking away after maʿa s-salaama without saying allaah ysallmak back is the small parting equivalent of leaving a "thank you" un-answered.