# Au revoir - Goodbye



## Maxzi

Hi everyone,

I've always wondered how to say '*Goodbye*' in everyday life to someone you don't know (a check-out assistant, a clerk, a grocer, ...) before leaving the shop.
For example, I go to the supermarket and buy what I need. After paying for the goods, getting the receipt and my money back, the clerk says:

'*Alstublieft*'

and I reply:
'*Dank u (wel)*'

He/She often says:
'*Dank u. Bedankt*' (and that's all)

But, I think I've never heard '*Tot ziens*' (that I'd tend to use) or something that sounded like a '*Au revoir*'! I'm a bit confused. 

What do you say to a clerk in this case before leaving the shop? Don't you use '*Au revoir*' as often as in French?


Thank you very much in advance.


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## Peterdg

To a clerk, I'd say something like *da-ag *(it's actually just *dag*, but we (I) tend to say informally "da-ag". You can certainly also use *tot ziens*; nobody would find it strange. *Tot ziens* can also be used in formal situations where *da-ag* would not be appropriate.


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## Maxzi

Allright!

Thank you for your help Peterdg!

I appreciate a lot.


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## George French

There is also "prettig dag (verder)"...

GF..


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## Donderdag

I usually say:

_"Dag eh!"_

or even (warning: very informal)

_"Salukes!"_  which stems from _"Salut!"_, I know in French this is meant for greeting, but in Flanders we use it to say goodbye

Anyway, "tot ziens" is always ok to say.


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## Maxzi

Thank you all for these great explanations!



> _"Salukes!"_  which stems from _"Salut!"_, I know in French this is meant for greeting, but in Flanders we use it to say goodbye


Thanks for this one. In the same way, I've also heard "*Voilà*" used in Dutch and borrowed from the french, but that's another question.

Dank u wel. 

Max


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## Hitchhiker

When I studied in Belgium years ago there was "daag" for goodbye, often written with two A's.  The Flemish Belgians told me it was funny to them that the French use salut for hello and goodbye. They told me that in Flemish salut and salukes are only used for goodbye and never for hello.


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## Maxzi

Thank you for this confirmation Hitchhiker and for sharing your own experience (from a foreign point of view). That's always interesting to know.



> The Flemish Belgians told me it was funny to them that the French use  salut for hello and goodbye. They told me that in Flemish salut and  salukes are only used for goodbye and never for hello.


Indeed!


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