Picture this: you have just finished a quick call with Oma in Berlin, or you are heading off the Schulhof after school. In English, do you only say "bye", or do you add "talk soon" or "see you tomorrow"?
Most of us use more than one word to close a chat. German speakers do the same. Today you will learn how to end a conversation the way they would, with a goodbye plus a natural follow-on.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use eight German goodbye phrases, not just one short word
- Add a natural follow-on so a goodbye feels complete
- Notice how leave-taking can look different from culture to culture
Listen to each German goodbye first, then say it with the class. Your teacher will play the audio before anyone tries the word alone. Notice which ones feel formal, which feel friendly, and which already carry a little follow-on of their own.
Your teacher will hand out a paper bingo card. Listen carefully for each German goodbye and mark it when you hear it. First full line wins!
Open your copy. Copy the model exchange below carefully, watching the capital letters and the accents. Then, if you like, swap one follow-on for another phrase from the bank.
Model:
Tschüss! Bis bald!
Tschüss! Schönen Tag noch!
Follow-ons you can swap in: Bis bald, Bis später, Bis morgen, Bis gleich, Schönen Tag noch, Gute Nacht.
You are leaving the Schulhof after school in Germany (or packing up after football training). Work with a partner to close the chat.
Frame (keep this on the board):
Partner A: ______! ______!
Partner B: ______! ______!
Model together first:
Partner A: Tschüss! Bis morgen!
Partner B: Tschüss! Schönen Tag noch!
Then swap roles so both of you open and answer once.
Unlock the full learning experience
You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.