Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free

Looking up...

Words

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • My Dictionary

Languages

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German

Features

  • Words of the Year
  • My Collections List
  • Reviews
  • Learning Resources
  • Community Collections

Learn

  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

see you later

/ˌsiː ju ˈleɪtər/
phrase★Beginner💡 goodbye
informal

A casual farewell phrase used when leaving or ending a conversation, implying the speaker expects to meet the listener again in the near future.

I'm heading out now. See you later!

Used when leaving a social gathering or work.

See you later at the café around 5 PM.

Used to confirm a future meeting time.

💡

More casual than 'goodbye' or 'farewell'. Often shortened to 'later' in very informal contexts.

Collocations

see you later alligatorA playful, rhyming extension of the phrase, often used humorously with children.

Synonyms

goodbyebyesee you sooncatch you later

Antonyms

hellohigood morning

Related Phrases

see you soonphrase
goodbye with an expectation of meeting again very soon
catch you laterphrase
informal goodbye, similar to 'see you later'
so longphrase
a more formal or old-fashioned farewell

💡Pro Tip

Casual vs. Formal Farewells

Use 'see you later' only in informal settings. For formal situations, prefer 'goodbye' or 'farewell'.

⚡Gold Rule

When to Use 'See You Later'

Use this phrase when you expect to meet the person again soon and the context is casual (e.g., among friends, family, or colleagues).

📖Word Origin

The phrase combines the verb 'see' (from Old English 'sēon') with the adverb 'later' (from Old English 'lætra', comparative of 'late'). The expression emerged in the early 20th century as a casual alternative to formal farewells.

📝Usage Notes

Common in English-speaking countries, especially among friends, family, or colleagues. The phrase implies familiarity and an expectation of future interaction. In some contexts, it may be used sarcastically if the speaker doubts they will meet again.

Word Breakdown

see
to perceive with the eyes
verb
+
you
the person being addressed
pronoun
+
later
at a time in the near future
adverb
English Dictionary

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Recent Lookups

The most recent words being looked up. Stay up to date with what language learners are exploring.