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Questions & Answers about Tot ziens en veel plezier!
Does tot ziens literally translate to "goodbye"?
Not quite! Tot means "until," and ziens comes from the verb zien (to see). Literally, it means something like "until seeing (each other again)." It is the standard, polite way to say goodbye in Dutch.
Why isn't there a verb like "have" in veel plezier?
In English we say "have fun," but in Dutch, you simply say veel plezier, which literally translates to "much pleasure" or "a lot of fun." You don't need to add a verb to wish someone a good time!
How do I pronounce the "ie" in ziens and plezier?
In Dutch, the vowel combination ie sounds like the English "ee" in "see" or "deep." So, ziens sounds a bit like "zeens" and plezier ends sounding like "zeer."
Is tot ziens formal or casual?
Tot ziens is polite and works in almost any situation, whether you are leaving a store or saying goodbye to a colleague. If you are with close friends or family, you might use a more casual word like doei instead.