The textbook word for goodbye is one you'll almost never hear in Cairo. What people say depends on who's leaving and who's staying. Phone calls have their own ending too.
Leaving and staying
salaam is bye, said by the one who's leaving. It's the full greeting cut short, and it works with anyone.
- Bye! See you tomorrow.
is the answer, from the one who stays. It means go in peace. A shopkeeper says it as you leave.
- Goodbye, Karim.
- Great. Thanks, goodbye.
Until next time
is see you tomorrow, and 'ashoofak ba3deen is see you later. To a woman it's 'ashoofik. bokra is one of those Egyptian words that mean tomorrow only sometimes, which we cover in bokra, delwa'ti, ba3deen.
yalla bye is how most phone calls end. is come on or right then, and bye is bye. Put them together and you have the sound of Cairo hanging up.
- Right then, goodbye.
With a blessing
khalli baalak min nafsak is take care of yourself. Word for word it's keep your mind on yourself. Mothers say it. So do friends when you're off travelling.
rabbena ma3aak is God be with you. To a woman it's rabbena ma3aaki. It's common, and saying it doesn't mark you as religious.
A short covers see you, God willing, bye, in three words.
Which one to use
Leaving a shop: salaam. A guest leaving your place: ma3a s-salaama. On the phone: yalla bye. Learn the first two as a pair.