French Word of the Day: Adieu

Why do I need to know adieu?

Because you probably think you know how to use this French word, but you might be mistaken.

What does it mean?

Adieu - roughly pronounced ah-dyuh - technically translates as ‘goodbye’ or ‘farewell’. (It does not rhyme with 'you', despite the best efforts of the cast of The Sound of Music with "farewell, adieu to you and you and you"). 

While it is used as a way to announce your departure to the people around you, in mainland France the term is used sparingly - unlike across the border in Switzerland, where some might even use ‘adieu’ as a stand-in for bonjour (hello). 

The word adieu in France has a strong sense of finality and last goodbyes - and as such is often used when someone has died. You might see the French press headline a story with 'Adieu' before the name of an important figure who has passed away, for example.

In contrast, au revoir or à plus, which both mean ‘goodbye’ or ‘see you later’ in English, are used on a day to day basis.

If you are on your way out of a party or a bar and you bid your French friends adieu, they will likely be rather confused because you're implying that you will never see them again - they might assuming that you are moving back to your home country.

It can also be used to give extra finality to decision or announcement, for example if you want to "dire adieu aux cigarettes", that means that you are definitely, definitely quitting smoking for good this time.

Use it like this

Les politiques veulent dire adieu aux tickets de métro papier, ils les considèrent comme du gaspillage. – Politicians want to say a final goodbye to paper Metro tickets. They see them as wasteful.

Je n'ai réalisé qu'au moment où il m'a dit 'adieu' que nous ne nous reverrions peut-être jamais. – I did not realise until the moment he said ‘goodbye’ that we may never see one another again.