How to pronounce goodbye
Say it like guud-BY. Goodbye has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BY).
- guud
- BY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Goodbye pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- guudGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- BYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of goodbye
American and British speakers say goodbye in essentially the same way: /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ in the US and /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: guud-BY.
What does goodbye mean?
- a farewell remark“they said their good-byes”
Where does goodbye come from?
From earlier goodby, Godby, Godby'e, Godbwye, God b'w'y, God bwy yee, God buy you, God be wi' you, each a progressively shorter contraction of God be with ye or God be with you.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with goodbye
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of goodbye.
Questions about saying goodbye
How do you pronounce goodbye?
Say guud-BY. The American pronunciation is /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/. In British English it is /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in goodbye?
Goodbye has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BY). Broken into parts: guud · BY.
Do Americans and Brits say goodbye the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ and the British form is /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.