la confiture
cadran

Best way to sign off or end an email in French: How to say "goodbye" or "cheers" or "sincerely"?

Petanque
A shopfront in Le Panier--a quartier in Marseilles. Scroll down for a list of ways to sign off email correspondence.

TODAY'S WORD: QUITTER
  1. to leave, to quit
  2. to give up, vacate, forsake, abandon
  3. to exit

LISTEN: Hear Jean-Marc pronounce today's quote: Download wav

  Il faut se quitter souvent pour s'aimer toujours.
  We must leave each other often in order to love each other forever.


A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
I am fascinated with farewells (of the e-mail kind) when I'm not downright fussing over how to end my own courriels. Signing off after even the briefest note is cause for over-reflection, and I sometimes stare for minutes at the blank screen before relying on the same old (boring?) standby:

Amicalement,
Kristi

While gros bisous still sounds a little too intimate, I ask myself if tchao--something I love the sound and French spelling of--isn't a bit hip or sort of pretentious sounding (tchao darling!)? Oh well, I never know, but I am game to try all of the farewells noted below.  I hope you will too!

WAYS TO SIGN OFF OR SAY GOODBYE IN FRENCH

à bientôt = (see) you soon
à très bientôt = (see) you real soon
adieu = goodbye (forever)
affectueusement = affectionately (love)
à la prochaine = until next time
à tout à l'heure = toodeloo
amicalement = (literally: "in a friendly way") yours, best wishes, regards
amitiés = (amitié = friendship) yours, best wishes, regards
amitiés sincères = sincere regards
à plus (or "à+" or "@+") = later
au plaisir = with the pleasure of seeing you again
au revoir = goodbye
avec toute mon amitié = with all my friendship
bien à toi = yours
bien à vous = yours

bien affectueusement = yours affectionately
bien amicalement = best wishes
bien amicalement à vous = best wishes to you
bien cordialement = warmly
bien des choses à tous = best to all
bien/très respectueusement = with much respect
bisettes = kisses
des bisettes = kisses
bisous = kisses

bisous à tous = kisses to all
bonne continuation = keep up the good work
bonne journée = have a nice day
bons baisers = big kisses
cordialement = cordially
d'un (d'une) ami(e) = from a friend
encore merci = thanks again
grosse bise = big kiss
gros bisous = big kisses

je serai toujours là pour vous = I'll always be there for you
je t'embrasse (je vous embrasse) = big kiss, with love
je t'embrasse très fort = great big kiss, with lots of love
meilleures salutations = best salutations
meilleurs sentiments = best wishes
merci = thanks
mes amitiés = my best wishes, my best regards
mes salutations respectueuses = yours faithfully
mille baisers = a thousand kisses
plein de baisers = lots of kisses
salut = bye
salutations = salutations
salutations distinguées = distinguished salutations
tchao (also à tchao!) = ciao, bye
tendresse = fondly
tiens bon (tenez bon) = take care, hang in there
ton ami(e) = your friend
toute mon amitié = very best wishes
très cordiales salutations = warm salutations
votre ami(e) = your friend

...and last, but not least:

Ciao for niao... a bit misspelled--but it rhymes!
Kristi
.
Il faut se quitter souvent pour s'aimer toujours.
You need to leave each other often to love each other forever.

Autumn in Lyon (c) Kristin Espinasse
Autumn in Lyon. All photos (c) Kristin Espinasse unless otherwise noted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Expressions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ne quittez pas = hold the line, hold on (when telephoning)
quitter le deuil = to come out of mourning
quitter la partie = to give up, to throw in the towel
quitter les lieux = to vacate the premises
ne pas quitter d'une semelle = to not let somebody out of your site
365 Days of French Expressions: Learn one new French Expression per Day

Verb conjugation: je quitte, tu quittes, il/elle quitte, nous quittons, vous quittez, ils/elles quittent; past participle: quitté

Cat in Vacqueras (c) Kristin Espinasse
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