Tschüss!

Just drop it at the end of a conversation. You can say it once: Tschüss!. You can also double it up for extra warmth: Tschüss, tschüss!. It usually comes after you have said your thank-yous. For example, after buying a coffee, say Danke, tschüss!. It is short, so keep the tone light and rising. Don't overthink the pronunciation. It sounds a bit like "chooss" with a sharp 's' at the end.

Use it when leaving a bakery or a grocery store. Use it when hanging up the phone with a friend. It is perfect for saying goodbye to colleagues at the office. Use it when walking out of an elevator. It is the go-to for casual social gatherings. If you are unsure what to say, Tschüss is your safest bet. It works from Munich all the way up to Berlin.

Avoid it in extremely stiff, formal environments. Do not use it during a serious legal meeting. Avoid it when meeting the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. In these cases, use the more formal Auf Wiedersehen. Also, do not use it if you are actually angry. A short Tschüss when you are mad sounds very dismissive. It is meant to be a friendly, social lubricant. Using it in a funeral setting might also feel a bit too bubbly.

Historically, Tschüss evolved from the word Adieu. Northern Germans started using it first. For a long time, it was considered very informal. Southern Germans used to prefer Servus or Ade. However, Tschüss conquered the whole country over the last few decades. Now, even grandmas in Bavaria use it. It represents the modern, more relaxed German social culture. It is a sign of the shrinking gap between formal and informal speech.

In Northern Germany, you might hear Tschüßi for something extra cute. Some people say Tschüssikowski if they are feeling silly or retro. In the South, you will still hear Servus alongside it. Young people often shorten it to a very quick Tschüssle in some regions. If you want to sound very cool, just a quick Ciao works too. But Tschüss remains the undisputed king of German goodbyes.