čau

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hi, hello, hey, bye, goodbye
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/ˈt͡ʃau/
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A brief friendly signal that opens or closes informal contact.
Practice using čau in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Čau, kā tev klājas?
    Hi, how are you?
  • Čau, sen neesam tikušies!
    Hi, we haven’t seen each other for ages!
  • Man jāskrien, čau!
    I have to run, bye!
  • Grupas čatā viņš ierakstīja tikai čau un smaidiņu.
    In the group chat, he wrote only hi and a smiley face.
  • Oficiālās vēstules beigās viņš nerakstīja čau, bet gan “ar cieņu”.
    At the end of the formal letter, he did not write bye, but ‘yours sincerely’.

Similar words

labdien
sveiks
atā
visu labu
sveiki
uz redzēšanos
tad līdz
hei

Meanings

Informal greeting

interjection
communication
informal
A friendly way to greet a friend or acquaintance when meeting, beginning a call, or opening a casual message, but too informal for many official situations.

Examples

  • Čau, kā tev klājas?
    Hi, how are you?
  • Viņa ienāca istabā un visiem teica: Čau!
    She entered the room and said hi to everyone.
  • Čau, sen neesam tikušies!
    Hi, we haven’t seen each other for ages!
  • Draugs piezvanīja un sāka sarunu ar priecīgu čau.
    A friend called and began the conversation with a cheerful hello.
  • Grupas čatā viņš ierakstīja tikai čau un smaidiņu.
    In the group chat, he wrote only hi and a smiley face.
  • Darba intervijā viņa neteica čau, bet izvēlējās pieklājīgo “labdien”.
    At the job interview, she did not say hi, choosing the polite ‘good afternoon’ instead.

Similar words

hei
sveiks
sveiki
labdien

Informal farewell

interjection
communication
informal
A friendly way to say goodbye when leaving or ending a casual conversation, but normally replaced by a more formal closing in official settings.

Examples

  • Man jāskrien, čau!
    I have to run, bye!
  • Viņa pamāja draugiem un sauca: Čau, līdz rītdienai!
    She waved to her friends and called, Bye, see you tomorrow!
  • Pēc īsas sarunas abi atvadījās ar čau.
    After a short conversation, they both said bye.
  • Čau, uzraksti, kad būsi mājās.
    Bye, message me when you get home.
  • Bērni izgāja pa durvīm, vēlreiz skaļi sakot čau.
    The children went through the door, loudly saying bye once more.
  • Oficiālās vēstules beigās viņš nerakstīja čau, bet gan “ar cieņu”.
    At the end of the formal letter, he did not write bye, but ‘yours sincerely’.

Similar words

atā
tad līdz
visu labu
uz redzēšanos

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian ciao, an informal greeting and farewell, and adapted to Latvian spelling with the clearly pronounced diphthong au.

FAQ

What does čau mean?

It means both ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ in informal Latvian.

When can čau be used?

It fits casual speech, calls, and messages with friends, relatives, colleagues one knows well, and acquaintances.

Is čau formal?

No. It remains a conversational word and is usually replaced by labdien or uz redzēšanos in formal situations.

How is čau pronounced?

It is pronounced /ˈt͡ʃau/, with the Latvian diphthong au clearly heard.

Where does čau come from?

It was borrowed from Italian ciao, which is likewise used for greeting and parting.

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