Dictionary / Japanese / See you later
How to Say "See you later" in Japanese
またね
mata ne
Literally: Again, okay?
また
again
ね
(friendly ending)
Polite or casual
Politeでは、また (dewa, mata) / 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu)
Casualじゃあね (jā ne) / また後で (mata ato de)
またね is casual, for friends and family. また後で (mata ato de) means you will meet again later the same day. With people you speak to politely, say では、また (dewa, mata). At work, when you leave a room or an office, say 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu).
Correct
またね
What people say wrong
さようなら
Goodbye. Sounds final, as if you will not meet again for a long time.
The mistake to avoid. Many learners say さようなら every time they leave, because it is the goodbye textbooks teach first. Between adults it can sound final, even a little sad, as if you do not expect to meet again soon. With friends, じゃあね or またね is normal. At work, people say 失礼します as they leave.
In context
じゃあ、またね。
Jā, mata ne.
Okay, see you.
また後でね。
Mata ato de ne.
See you later. (later today)
では、また来週。
Dewa, mata raishū.
See you next week, then.