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I am currently in Heidelberg, Germany. I find often that when I say tschüss, someone will reply with ciao (or: tschau) and vice-versa. This has struck me as odd because when I say tschüss, I usually expect to hear tschüss back and the same with ciao (or: tschau).

Sometimes it seems as if there is a formality factor in this. In more formal situations it seems that I don't hear ciao (or: tschau) as much as I do tschüss.

Questions:

  1. Is the mixing due to any particular reason? Or is it just random, like it can be in English? (For example: A: cya .... B: bye!)
  2. Is one of the two considered to be a bit more formal than the other? If not, does one age group tend to use one more than the other? (For example: older age group uses tschüss more)

I pose these questions because I don't want to get into any awkward social situations.

N.B.: I have edited the post to include the German spelling of ciao (or: tschau), yet regardless of this, the question does not pertain to the Italian use or pronunciation of the word, only the German.

Patrick Sebastien
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  • Related: http://german.stackexchange.com/questions/220/what-are-informal-ways-to-say-good-bye –  Jul 15 '14 at 11:22
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    According to my girlfriend, who is German, the spelling is actually Tschau. It's pretty common to hear it. –  Jul 15 '14 at 12:18
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    Duden allows both variants. Personally I don't think "tschau" is a good representation of how it's pronounced. After all, Cello, Vase, Chat and Chance have survived, too. –  Jul 15 '14 at 15:08
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    @Carlster As a native speaker I disagree. "Tschau" is not pronounced like "ciao". At least where I live. – Roman Reiner Jul 15 '14 at 21:12
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    @RomanReiner I agree with you disagreeing. In the Italian "ciao", the "ci" is softer, the "a" can be stretched and the "o" is purer. In "tschau" the "tsch" is too hard and the "u" is too strong. Given this dilemma of mine, I prefer to choose the original spelling (as it is done for almost all loanwords). Or is your Püdschama kuhl? –  Jul 15 '14 at 21:39
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    Kaum ein Deutscher lernt je Italienisch, und so gibt es keine große Sensibilität für die Feinheiten der Aussprache. Der Deutsche spricht Pardon auch aus wie Pardong, schreibt es aber dennoch Pardon. So oder so steht die Schreibweise aber gar nicht zur Diskussiong. – user unknown Jul 15 '14 at 21:55
  • I edited the post to include the German spelling and added a note at the end. Ich habe die Frage verändert, um die deutsche Schreibung 'tschau' und eine Fußnote einzusetzen. – Patrick Sebastien Jul 28 '14 at 09:19
  • This is pretty irrelevant to the question, but 2 weeks ago when I was getting off my plane in Munich, I accidently mixed "tchüss" and "tschau" and it came out like "tschau-üss" – thekeyofgb Jul 28 '14 at 16:01
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    As a small note: Italian speakers use ciau very rarely, and only as a joke. For German speakers, on the other hand, the final o is difficult to pronounce, thus the u. Other info can be found in Wikipedia – Walter Tross Jul 28 '14 at 16:35

8 Answers8

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There are some parameters like formality, or how well you know each other, but within these, it's really just random. In this case, formality is referring to "Auf Wiedersehen" vs. "Tüdelüü".

Both are informal to the same extent. Tschüss is genuinely German, whereas the other was adopted from Italian.

I've often heard older people say "tschüss", can't say that for "ciao". But that's only where I live(d) of course.

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    It's really totally random, the difference is probably more a generational thing. @Patrick, just use the one you are more comfortable with. – SAnderka Jul 15 '14 at 10:47
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    I agree - I don't perceive any difference in formality between the two options. – Hulk Jul 15 '14 at 11:23
  • One can, however, influence its formality by changing the way of saying it. –  Jul 15 '14 at 11:39
  • Thanks everyone, for the input and information. I will most likely avoid saying ciao to my 68 year old literature professor (with whom we always use Sie, however, tschuss is fine). – Patrick Sebastien Jul 16 '14 at 10:39
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    "tschüss" derives (probably) from Spanish adios, via Dutch. So you cannot really say that it is "genuinely German". – fdb Jul 19 '14 at 18:26
  • @fdb Nice to know! Well, genuinely does not only mean originally, but feel free to edit the question! –  Jul 19 '14 at 18:58
  • I'd have guessed that "tschüss" had evolved from "tschau", probably via "tschüssi/-chen" which is kind of a diminutive of "tschau". @fdb What would be the bridge in Dutch? – Raphael Jul 28 '14 at 11:01
  • The bridge is that the Netherlands were ruled by Spain for many years. – fdb Jul 28 '14 at 11:08
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    @fdb, I suppose Raphael was asking what the Dutch word is, from which tschüss is supposed to derive. – Walter Tross Jul 28 '14 at 16:43
  • Tschüß probably comes from adieu (à Dieu), possibly through Dutch dialect aju (ajü) or ajuus (ajüs), and even Southern Dutch dialect tjöö --> Tschö --> Tschüß. Ok, could also be adios, which is the same as adieu again. But it would surprise me if it came from ciao. – Rudy Velthuis Mar 18 '19 at 20:53
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I don't assume this is due to different meanings. While I can't prove it, I guess, that this might be a consequence of school drill starting in primary school to avoid word repetitions (and in your example: less sounding like an echo or a parrot). In the printed media this is especially prominent, where an article concerning Berlin will surely switch to "Hauptstadt" at the next occurrence. Despite some experts (cf. works by Wolf Schneider, such as "Deutsch für Profis") recommend to keep the same word throughout the text, since it is easier to understand (even more so for foreigners, which may not know that "Frankfurt" is the same as "Mainmetropole") this habit - exhibiting some highbrow attitude - seems to stay.

Em1
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guidot
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Personal preferences and local habits influence which variant of tschüs is chosen:

  • tschüß – long /ü/
  • tschüss – short /ü/
  • tschü
  • tschö, tschö wa …
  • tschau, ciao
  • tschüßi, tschüssi
  • tschühüß
  • tschüßikowski
  • tüdelü
  • tschautschau, ciao ciao
  • atschüs
  • adieu, adjö
  • ade
  • …

It may happen, as you seem to have experienced, that out of two common options, people choose the other one in a reply, but that is neither very common in my experience nor a conscious act.

Crissov
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  • "out of two common options, people choose the other one in a reply" – I think that's pretty frequent, perhaps to avoid an appearence of parroting. – Endre Both Mar 18 '19 at 11:34
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The answer is way simpler: "Tschüss" is rather uncommon in Southern Germany.

I believe your observation was coincidental: Whenever you said "tschüss" and back came a ciao, you were talking to a Southern German. In the opposite case, you were talking to a Northern German, while you were trying to speak like a Southern German.

Generally: "Tschüss" is rarer in Southern Germany and in particular in Bavaria.

Raphael
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There is no "rule" that defines how to answer when being greeted. Actually, it's a matter of personal taste and the situation. I actually never say "Ciao" (or the German "Tschau") myself, but I often use "Tschüss". That's why I'd always answer "Tschüss", no matter whether the other person said "Tschüss" or "Tschau". One exception is when being greeted very formally - I'd never answer "Auf Wiedersehen" with "Tschüss" - maybe just "Wiedersehen", but mostly also "Auf Wiedersehen".

As to formality: "Tschüss" and "Tschau" are both informal. Personally (whithout any reference for proof) I'd say that "Tschau" would be considered a level less formal than "Tschüss".

That being said: You can also change the level of formality using different expressions. For example, if someone calls you on the phone and says "Guten Tag, mein Name ist..." and you answered "Hallo" you'd indicate that it would be ok for you to have a less formal conversation. If you answer with a careful "Guten Tag" you indicate a certain distance to the caller. It also works the other way: If someone calls you and starts "Servus, hier is der Franz!", a "Guten Tag" can tell the caller to go to a more formal level.

Thorsten Dittmar
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It is not random. I say "ciao" only in an italian restaurant or to younger people with non-german roots. In every day (northern) german life I say "Tschüss". I am german btw.

elsni
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I lived in Bavaria for 5 years (near Munich), tschuss was very commonly used for goodbye, but as someone mentioned was more on a "du" basis or informal.

But being American of course I have no true understanding of it, and in fact remain mildly confused because ciao was also used commonly, but could be hello equally as well as goodbye. So we (ignorant Americans) sometimes did the same with tschuss, possibly a faux pas?

One reason I mention this: we very commonly said tschuss in this rapid phrase, often followed by a blown kiss: "bye bye tschuss!"

user86386
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The mixing is due to the italians that build the roads there in the 60ies and 70ies. They have integrated greatly and so has part of there language, and well there is just no fancier way of saying "goodbye" then using the itaian equivalent.

Crissov points out the many variants that exist, and thats just a few. But they are all rather formal or "stick in the ass" stiff as what they'd say.

When you are on a "du" releationship use this "Tschüss,(flavor) ciao, ciao"

Flavor is like: Give regards to your husband or some stuff like that

swiss btw, so yeah the thing with going more south seems accurate

Ezikiel Hazegaiah
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