Cool MateAu revoir vs Farewell
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Au revoir
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Farewell
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Farewell
| Au revoir | Farewell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əʊ ʁəˈvwaʁ//🇺🇸 //oʊ rəˈvwɑr// | 🇬🇧 //fɛəˈwɛl//🇺🇸 //fɛrˈwɛl// |
| Meaning | Goodbye in French. | A way to say goodbye. |
| Example | She waved and said, 'Au revoir!' as he left for France. | She waved a heartfelt farewell as the train departed. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | say au revoir, bid au revoir, wave au revoir | bid farewell, say farewell, farewell party |
| Antonyms | - | greeting, welcome |
| Common mistakes | Using 'au revoir' in casual messages where 'salut' would be more appropriate., Confusing it with 'adieu', which is a more final farewell. | Used too casually in everyday settings., Confused with 'farewell' as a noun and verb., Overused when a simple 'goodbye' would suffice. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in French-speaking contexts. More formal than 'salut' but can be used casually. Avoid in very informal situations. | Use 'farewell' in formal situations or when parting for a long time. It's less common in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Au revoir vs Farewell
What's the difference between Au revoir and Farewell?
Au revoir: Goodbye in French. Farewell: A way to say goodbye.
Which is more common: Au revoir and Farewell?
Farewell is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Au revoir: She waved and said, 'Au revoir!' as he left for France. Farewell: She waved a heartfelt farewell as the train departed.
Can I use Au revoir and Farewell interchangeably?
Not always. Au revoir and Farewell are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.