"Hasta la vista, baby!" (which means “see you later, baby!”) is one of the most well-known and most quoted Spanish phrases by non-Spanish speakers.
After its iconic use in the 1991 blockbuster film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the general public started using this phrase often throughout the 90s and beyond. However, for better or worse, no one really says or uses that phrase in Spanish-speaking countries.
There are, however, tons of actual Spanish words and phrases you can use instead — phrases that will demonstrate you know Spanish and aren’t just quoting a silly phrase from a classic action film.
Below you’ll find eleven different ways you can say “see you later” in Spanish.
Table of Contents
We've divided this list up into four different sections to help you choose the phrase that works best in your scenario.
Section one covers situations when you’re not sure when you’ll be seeing the person again. Section two includes phrases to use when you know you’ll be seeing the person (for example, tomorrow at work or next Monday in school). In section three we’ll cover phrases you can use when you know you’ll be seeing the person soon, maybe the same day. And in section four we’ll include some general phrases which don’t relate to time.
Section one: Goodbyes for when you are not sure when you're going to see the person you're talking to again.
1. "Nos vemos" - "See you"
Example: You ran into a former coworker and you chatted briefly with him.
- ¡Qué gusto verte, Juan! Pero me tengo que ir. Nos vemos. - It was great seeing you, Juan! But I have to go. See you.
2. "Hasta luego" - "Until later"
Example: You’re at your convenience store after you’ve paid.
- ¡Muchas gracias, Marcela! Hasta luego. - Thank you very much, Marcela! Until later.
3. "Nos vemos luego" - "See you later"
This one combines both first and second phrases.
Example: You’re chatting with your neighbor and you suddenly hear your phone ring.
- Sí, el clima ha estado raro últimamente. Oh, alguien me está llamando. Nos vemos luego. - Yeah, the weather has been weird lately. Oh, someone’s calling me. See you later.
Section Two: Goodbyes for where you know you're going to see this person again at a predetermined time.
4. "Hasta mañana" - “Until tomorrow”
You can substitute “mañana” with any other day and say; "Hasta el jueves" - “Until Thursday”
Example: You’re a teacher and you’re saying goodbye to your students at the end of the day.
- Que no se les olvide estudiar para el examen, ¿ok? ¡Hasta mañana! - Don’t forget to study for the test, ok? Until tomorrow!
5. "Nos memos mañana" - “See you tomorrow”
Just like the previous phrase, you can also substitute “mañana” for any other day and say "Nos vemos el jueves" - “I'll see you on Thursday” / “We'll see each other on Thursday”
Example: You’re about to go to bed and your roommates are in the living room.
- Ya me voy a dormir. Que descansen. Nos vemos mañana. - I’m going to bed. Sleep well. See you tomorrow.
Spanish speakers tend to say "nos vemos..." (We’ll see each other...) more than “te veo...” (I’ll see you…) which is more common in English. “Nos” implies that both you and the other person will be seeing each other, which technically makes more sense. “Te veo...” is also very common, just maybe not as common as “nos vemos...”
Section Three: Goodbyes for when you know you’ll be seeing the person soon(maybe even the same day).
6. "Nos vemos pronto" - “See you soon”
Example: You’re on the phone talking to your friend who’s having a party tonight.
- Sí voy a ir, solo me arreglo y dejo a los niños con su abuela. Nos vemos pronto. - I’ll be there, I just have to get ready and leave the kids with their grandma. See you soon.
7. "Nos vemos al rato/ratito" - “See you a bit later today”
Example: You’re making plans to visit your sister later today.
- Hoy tengo mucho trabajo, pero saliendo de trabajar voy. ¿Ok? Nos vemos al rato. - I have a lot of work today, but when I’m done working I’ll come over. Ok? See you a bit later today.
Section Four: Goodbyes you can use whenever. These are general goodbyes that don’t relate to time.
8. "Cuídate" / "Cuídese" - “Take care”
Informal and formal. If you're confused about how and when to use the informal and formal “you” in Spanish, check out our video here.
You can use this one exactly as you’d use “take care” in English. It usually comes after some other goodbye.
Example:
- Nos vemos mañana. ¡Cuídate! - See you tomorrow. Take care!
9. "Que te/le vaya bien" - “Have a good day” / “I hope everything goes well for you”
This one doesn’t have a very precise translation into English but it is extremely common in Spanish.
Example: You’re checking out at the store. You’re leaving and saying thank you. This is how the clerk responds.
- Gracias a usted. Que le vaya bien. - Thank you. Have a good day.
10. "Que estés/esté bien" - “I wish you well”
This one doesn’t have an exact translation either but it’s a friendly way of saying goodbye to someone you care about. It carries a similar sentiment to “take care.”
Example: When the party's over and your friend is leaving.
- Gracias por venir, Ernesto. Que estés bien. - Thank you for coming, Ernesto. Take care / I wish you well.
11. "Adios" - “Goodbye”
This word is the most basic and most common way of saying goodbye in Spanish. Although, some people think it may sound too final, (like you're never going to see that person again) in Mexico it is used both as a greeting and a goodbye when passing by someone you know.
And of course, Spanish-speakers also use the word “bye” — just like in English. While it’s not a Spanish word, it’s commonly used all over Latin America so don’t hesitate to use it yourself.
***
By learning these real Spanish phrases (and avoiding cheesy Hollywood phrases like “hasta la vista”), you'll be able to better communicate with native Spanish-speakers all around the world. It may take some time and practice to remember which phrases are used for which occasion, like what to say when you go shopping, when you’re ordering food, or when ordering drinks, but you can start by learning the most general phrases you need and go from there. Eventually, you'll have the appropriate phrase memorized for each occasion!
Featured
Mexican Spanish vs Puerto Rican Spanish [16 BIG Differences]
Puerto Rico and Mexico have some unique peculiarities in their use of the Spanish language that are worth exploring. To help you navigate the linguistic differences, we put together a list of 16 words that are different in Puerto Rican and Mexican Spanish.
The Lingoda Sprint: An Honest Review
Are you thinking about doing the Lingoda Sprint? Well, this is an honest review of the Lingoda’s biggest promotion, the Language Sprint (formerly the Language Marathon), from someone who has actually completed it.
How to Order Coffee and Other Drinks in Spanish
Learn how to order coffee and other drinks in Spanish. In this video, we go to a local coffee shop in Queretaro, Mexico to show you how it’s done.
An Honest Review of Sonix Transcription Service
Finding the right transcription software as a language business is huge. This is a key component in making sure you have access to highly accurate transcriptions and subtitles for all of our materials.
So it’s no wonder why we’ve scoured the internet in search of the best transcription software in terms of accuracy, features, and affordability. After using multiple competitors such as Rev.com and SpeedScriber, we’ve found the winner: Sonix
In this article, we’ll review the software that is making our jobs a lot easier.
35 Puerto Rican Slang Terms That Blew Our Minds
Have you ever had trouble understanding someone speaking Spanish from Puerto Rico?
We moved to Puerto Rico in 2019, and today we wanted to give you 31 of the most common slang words you'll hear in La Isla del Encanto to help you understand Puerto Rican Spanish better.
Your One-Stop Guide to Vowels in Spanish [Las Vocales - A E I O U]
For most English speakers, the correct pronunciation of vowels in Spanish is difficult. But it doesn’t have to be! All too often, English speakers try to pronounce letters the way they would in English — even though they're speaking Spanish. To help you remember the difference between how vowels are pronounced in English and Spanish, here’s an introduction to Spanish vowels with examples to help you better understand how they are pronounced.
