Adéu!

It is usually pronounced approximately ah-DEH-oo.

A simple guide for English speakers:

• A = like a in father
• dé = stressed deh
• u = like oo in food

The stress falls on the é, so a-DÉ-u, not A-deu.

The accent mark on é shows where the stress goes. In Adéu, the stressed syllable is dé.

So the word is pronounced a-DÉ-u.

The accent also helps distinguish the correct vowel sound and stress pattern in writing.

It is generally neutral and can be used in both informal and many formal situations.

You can say Adéu! to:

• friends
• family
• coworkers
• shop staff
• people you do not know well

It is a very common everyday way to say goodbye in Catalan.

It is used for ordinary everyday goodbyes too, not only dramatic or long-term farewells.

Even though English adieu sounds literary or final, Catalan Adéu is a normal, common goodbye.

So you should not assume it is overly emotional or old-fashioned just because it looks similar to the English word.

Yes. They are closely related historically and both come from an expression connected to to God.

Catalan uses adéu, while Spanish uses adiós. They have the same basic function, but the Catalan form is its own normal word and pronunciation.

So if you know Spanish, the meaning will feel familiar, but you should pronounce and spell the Catalan form as Adéu.

Yes. Adéu! works perfectly as a complete sentence by itself.

That is very common in conversation, messages, and when ending an interaction.

You can also combine it with other words, but Adéu! alone is completely natural.

Yes. Depending on region and situation, you may also hear:

• Adeu-siau — more traditional or more formal in some contexts
• Fins després — see you later
• Fins aviat — see you soon
• Fins demà — see you tomorrow

But Adéu is one of the most basic and useful goodbye words to learn first.

No, not always.

• Adéu! sounds lively, warm, or natural in direct speech.
• Adéu. is possible in writing, but may feel flatter.
• In messages, people may write simply Adéu with no punctuation at all.

So the exclamation mark is common, but it is not required.

Only because it is written here as a standalone sentence.

If the word appears in the middle of a sentence, it would normally be lowercase: adéu.

For example:

• Li vaig dir adéu. — I said goodbye to him/her.

So the capital letter is about sentence position, not about the word itself.

It is pronounced. The ending is not silent.

So Adéu is not just a-deh. You do hear the final oo sound, giving a-DEH-oo.

For many English speakers, remembering to pronounce that final u clearly is helpful.