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

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. 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


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