Adeus
ah-DAY-oos
How to say itPart of: Goodbyes
“Goodbye; farewell.”
Adeus is goodbye, but in Brazil it carries “forever”. People say it when they don’t expect to see you again, in songs and novels, or as a joke with a wave. For an ordinary goodbye Brazilians say tchau, até mais or até logo. Literally “to God”, from the old a Deus (I commend you to God).
Looking for all the ways to say goodbye? Goodbye in Portuguese: the guide
FormalAll BrazilReply: Adeus.
How Brazilians use it
“Ela disse adeus e nunca mais voltou.”
“She said goodbye and never came back.”
The final goodbye.
“Adeus, Rio! Foi lindo.”
“Farewell, Rio! It was beautiful.”
Leaving a place for good.
“Tchau, até nunca mais! Brincadeira.”
“Bye, see you never! Kidding.”
The joke version, between friends.
“Pode dizer adeus ao seu dinheiro.”
“You can kiss your money goodbye.”
Dizer adeus a: to give something up.
In a real book
“— Adeus, compadre!”“— Faz bem. Adeus. Até quando?”How to reply
- Adeus.Back, if it really is farewell.
- Tchau!What Brazilians actually say.
Similar expressions
- TchauThe everyday goodbye.
- Até logo / até maisSee you later.
- Vai com DeusGo with God: warm, not final.
- Boa viagemSafe travels.
Brazil vs Portugal
In Portugal adeus is an everyday goodbye, said on the way out of a shop. In Brazil the same word sounds final; in the old books on the shelf it was still ordinary.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say adeus to someone you’ll see tomorrow: it sounds like a farewell, or a joke.
- Don’t say adiós: Spanish. The Portuguese is adeus, with eu.
- Don’t confuse the weight: in Portugal adeus is a normal goodbye; in Brazil it is final.
Frequently asked questions
What does adeus mean?
Goodbye, farewell: literally “to God”. In Brazil it carries “for good”, so people say tchau instead unless they really are parting for a long time.
What language is adeus?
Portuguese. The Spanish is adiós, the French adieu, all from the same “to God”. In Brazil adeus sounds final; in Portugal it is an everyday goodbye.
Do Brazilians say adeus?
Rarely, and when they do it means it: leaving a city, ending a relationship, a song. For an ordinary goodbye it is tchau, até mais or até logo.
How do you pronounce adeus?
ah-DAY-oos, with the stress on the middle syllable and the final s said, not silent.