Saying Goodbye: 78 Beautiful Farewell Quotes in 8 Categories
Johannes Haupt
(Senior Editor)
Our farewell quotes will help you put your thoughts into words and deal with your grief. We have collected lovely sayings and quotes for saying goodbye and arranged them by theme so you can quickly find what you are looking for.
Farewell quotes are suitable for showing your appreciation for a colleague who is retiring, or when you’re working through your feelings after a separation. They will help you put things into perspective after a great loss, or to say goodbye to friends who are moving away or emigrating.
Saying Goodbye: Farewell Quotes for Every Occasion
Saying Goodbye: Farewell Quotes for Every Occasion
In the following article you will find farewell quotes and sayings for condolence messages, sayings to help you overcome your sadness after a breakup, sayings for your partner or friends who are moving abroad, quotes to say goodbye to colleagues, and sayings for new beginnings.
Even people who we don’t know very well are part of our daily routines, and we miss them when suddenly they are no longer around. We are used to always seeing them, and even if we don’t speak to them very much in private, we like them a lot. These people could be work colleagues or acquaintances.
Saying Goodbye to a Colleague or Acquaintance
You know work colleagues or acquaintances that are going to leave? Whether they are moving away or retiring, it’s always good to share a few words of goodbye to show your appreciation. In particular, a colleague leaving is often an opportunity for a leaving card and a few kind words. That’s why we have collected some farewell quotes and messages for colleagues for you.
Farewell Quotes for Colleagues
A well-deserved retirement is a real cause for celebration. You can also pay tribute to colleagues who are leaving to start a new job.
In particular, colleagues who have been part of your team for a long time are sure to be dearly missed.
- To be able to look back upon one’s life in satisfaction, is to live twice.
(Marcus Valerius Martial, Roman poet, 40 – 104) - Now you have time to experience and enjoy lots of wonderful things. We are delighted for you and wish you all the best for your retirement.
(Unknown) - The goodbye to a long and important work is always more sad than gratifying.
(Friedrich von Schiller, German playwright, 1759-1805) - A difficult goodbye means an even more beautiful reunion.
(Unknown) - Youth is the time to learn wisdom, old age is the time to apply it.
(Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss writer, 1712-1778) - We wish you all the best for your future career.
(Unknown) - Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet, 1807-1882) - Don’t think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you retire.
(Samuel Johnson, English poet, 1709-1784) - Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882) - This is the beginning of anything you want.
(Unknown)
Farewell Quotes for Loss
Farewell Quotes for Loss
Image caption: Farewell sayings for loss, for example through death
The following farewell quotes and sayings are suitable for condolence messages, for an obituary, or as a few words of tribute at a funeral.
Some of the sayings speak directly to the dead; others describe the feelings that arise from loss and others are wise sayings about life and death.
- When you think of me, think of the hour in which you loved me most.
(Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian storyteller and lyricist,1875-1926) - Since you left, it’s been hard to breathe. I won’t give up, but I know it will be a long time before I can live and laugh again.
(Unknown) - If I could travel back in time, I would not change my mistakes, but rather embrace someone who is no longer with us.
(Unknown) - To leave is to die a little, but to die is always to leave.
(Alphonse Allais, French writer, 1854-1905) - In life, there is a time for everything: a time for joy, for silence, for grieving, and a time for thankful remembrance.
(Unknown) - Those who pass by us, do not go alone, and do not leave us alone; they leave a bit of themselves, and take a little of us.
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer and pilot, 1900-1944) - The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.
(Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman, 106-43 B.C.) - There’s certainly no greater pain than losing one’s homeland.
(Euripides, Greek poet, 480-406 B.C.) - Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
(Unknown, Irish blessing) - A word I want to see written on my grave: I am alive like you, and I am standing beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you.
(Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet, philosopher and painter, 1883-1931)
All of these quotes and sayings are reverent and pay tribute to the departed, rather than express despair at their death. Some sayings are general and so are suitable for sympathy cards when you weren’t close to the person who has died; others are more suitable when you had a close relationship to them.
Here you learn how to write a sympathy message.
Farewell Cat & Dog Death Quotes
Farewell Cat & Dog Death Quotes
Losing a beloved pet can be just as difficult as losing a person. After all, they are part of the family too. Children can find it especially hard to say farewell to their furry friend, as they might not understand what has happened.
We have collected some quotes to help you say goodbye. Maybe you could use them in a social media post, along with your favourite pictures of your cat or dog. Remember all the happy times you spent playing and cuddling with them and take comfort in knowing they had a wonderful life with you.
- Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?
(Unknown) - Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
(Anatole France, French storyteller and critic, 1844-1924) - Time spent with a cat is never wasted.
(Sigmund Freud, Austrian psychologist, 1856-1939) - Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow.
(Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, 1850-1894) - The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made his greatest gift the commonest.
(Martin Luther, German Augustinian monk, 1483-1546) - Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
(Mark Twain, U.S. writer, 1835-1910) - His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears.
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806-1861, English poet) - I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?
(Walter Scott, schottischer Dichter, 1771-1832) - The loss of a cat is immeasurable. But so is the love left behind.
(Unknown) - Your favourite chair is empty now, where you would lie and sleep.
But the memory of our happy times is mine to always keep.
(Unknown)
Farewell Quotes for a Breakup
Farewell Quotes for a Breakup
When you have separated from your partner, it’s the beginning of a new phase in your life. It can be a long and upsetting process to leave old habits and all the memories behind. The following farewell quotes can help you deal with all of the pent-up emotions.
- Sometimes things break that were supposed to last forever.
(Unknown) - It’s sad when two people separate, who belong together. But what’s even sadder is when they stay together, even though they no longer belong together.
(Unknown) - The memory of joy is no longer joy; the memory of pain, is pain still
(Lord Byron, British poet, 1788-1824) - We have changed in the last few years and I have unfortunately realised that we don’t belong together anymore. We are just too different.
(Unknown) - A mouth can laugh even while the heart is crying.
(Unknown) - Sometimes one gains more from a separation than one loses.
(Unknown) - Ever has it been that love knows not its own death until the hour of separation.
(Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet, philosopher and painter, 1883-1931) - Hearts are made to be broken
(Oscar Wilde, Irish poet, 1854-1900) - Sometimes you have to let someone you love go, to make them happy – even when you break yourself in the process.
(Unknown) - For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.
(John Greenleaf Whittier, American poet, 1807-1892)
Farewell quotes about love and breakups can help you put your feelings into words and better work through the separation. Among them you will also find a few sayings that you can use to gently end a relationship.
If you are not separated yet, you should never send the saying on WhatsApp or another messenger app, but rather you should always gather your courage and end the relationship in person.
Short Farewell Quotes
Short Farewell Quotes
Short farewell quotes are especially suitable for writing in a goodbye card, for example if a colleague is leaving. You could write them on one side of the card and add your own goodbye message on the other side, to make the card more personal and unique.
You can also send short farewell quotes as a text or WhatsApp message. Or you can use them
as captions for an Instagram post of you and your loved one, to show the world how much you will miss them.
- Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.
(William Shakespeare, English playwright, 1564-1616) - The return makes one love the farewell.
(Alfred de Musset, French writer, 1810-1857) - Good friends never say goodbye. They simply say ‘See you soon.’
(Unknown) - They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
(Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551 B.C.-479 B.C.) - Someday we shall meet again. Until then, farewell.
(Unknown) - Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again.
(Unknown) - The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.
(Charles Dickens, English writer, 1812-1870) - Life is a journey, not a destination.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882) - Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful.
(Unknown)
Here you’ll find more quotes from famous people.
Funny Farewell Quotes
Funny Farewell Quotes
Sometimes when you’re saying goodbye, it’s also good to make the person laugh. If your relationship is filled with fun and laughter, it’s only fitting to say goodbye in a funny way too.
But be careful when sending funny farewell quotes, as it’s important to make sure the person shares your sense of humour. Goodbyes can be emotional and you don’t want to upset them with an inappropriate saying. The following funny farewell quotes are best for people who you know well and whose sense of humour you understand.
- Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
(Oscar Wilde, Irish poet, 1854-1900) - With your resignation your employment in this office may finish, but the sweet memories of working with you will never diminish.
(Unknown) - 90 percent of men kiss their wife goodbye when they leave the house. 10 percent kiss their house goodbye when they leave the wife.
(Unknown) - True friends don’t say goodbye, they just take extended leaves of absences from each other.
(Unknown) - Having awesome colleagues is a bad habit because it’ll be impossible to work with someone else now that you’re leaving.
(Unknown) - A man never knows how to say goodbye; a woman never knows when to say it.
(Helen Rowland, US journalist, 1875-1950) - Congratulations – your escape plan finally worked!
(Unknown) - This is the beginning of anything you want.
(Unknown)
Here you’ll get more funny quotes.
Meaningful Farewell Quotes for When Someone Moves Abroad
Meaningful Farewell Quotes for When Someone Moves Abroad
These days it’s not uncommon for a partner or friends to move abroad for some time. That could be as part of their studies or as a working holiday. It can also happen that someone from your circle of friends emigrates and you worry that you might never see them again.
- Saying goodbye also means looking forward to new encounters.
(Unknown) - Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
(Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551 B.C.-479 B.C.) - Freedom is when everything you need fits in one rucksack.
(Unknown) - The greatest step is the step outside your front door.
(Unknown) - Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
(Mark Twain, U.S. writer, 1835-1910) - You never really leave the place you love. You take part of it with you and leave part of you there.
(Unknown) - Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.
(Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher, 1817-1862) - There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.
(Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948) - Though miles may lie between us, we are never far apart, for friendship doesn’t count miles, it’s measured by the heart.
(Unknown) - Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.
(George Eliot, English writer, 1819-1880)
Even if you’re not saying goodbye forever, it’s nevertheless difficult to carry on without your loved one and not be able to be with them. This is an opportunity to tell the person what they mean to you and how much you will miss them.
Regular contact and showing your appreciation with a farewell quote will help you keep in touch and show you how to see the positive side of the situation. Show your friend or partner that you love and support them with our selected farewell quotes.
Inspirational Farewell Quotes for New Beginnings
Inspirational Farewell Quotes for New Beginnings
A new beginning is also an opportunity to use farewell quotes and sayings. When someone starts afresh, usually they are leaving their loved ones behind for a particular reason. That could be because they’ve had a rough time recently, they’re emigrating or moving, they’re starting a new job, apprenticeship or studies or are retraining, or because they’re separating from their partner.
The following quotes are suitable for every kind of fresh start. Most of them emphasise the positive side of a goodbye and the new opportunities that await. So despite the sad goodbye, you can bring joy to your loved one and give them hope.
- All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.
(Anatole France, French storyteller and critic, 1844-1924) - A new beginning is also always a farewell.
(Unknown) - The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
(Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher, 365 B.C.-290 B.C.) - Memory is the only paradise from which we cannot be driven.
(Jean Paul, German writer, 1763-1825) - What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
(Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter and graphic artist, 1853-1890) - It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.
(F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist, 1896-1940) - When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.
(Chinese proverb) - What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832) - It is never too late to be what you might have been.
(George Eliot, English writer, 1819-1880) - The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.
(Socrates, Greek philosopher, 469-399 B.C.)
Say Goodbye in Your Own Way
Say Goodbye in Your Own Way
There are lots of reasons why we might have to say goodbye. The strength of our feelings about the goodbye depends on how close we were to the person and for how long they will be leaving.
It makes a difference, for example, whether you want to wish a colleague a happy goodbye with a funny quote, or whether you are really sad that the person is leaving.
But regardless of what kind of farewell it is, you should make sure to say goodbye in your own way and not be pressured into something you don’t like.
With a sad goodbye, most people find it hard to put their thoughts and feelings into words. That’s where farewell quotes can help. We have chosen different farewell quotes for you that will work for all kinds of situations.
Here you can find more quotes about life.
Saying Goodbye to a Loved One
Whether it’s because you are separating from a partner, your only child is moving away, or because a loved one has died – saying goodbye to a loved one stirs emotions in us that are hard to describe.
Such losses are among the most upsetting moments in life. That’s why, unfortunately, we often try to suppress our feelings and not let important emotions out.
Writing about your feelings can be a good way to handle your grief. This way you can better work through the farewell and not come to regret that you didn’t say something. When you write down your thoughts, you have more power over how you want to express your emotions.
You don’t risk an emotional outburst and have control over what you say. Perhaps you will find a few farewell quotes in our selection that describe your feelings well, or you could use them as sources of inspiration for your own message.
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