Goodbye | До свидания [Russian Learning - Female Voice]

### How to Pronounce It To say "До свидания" (which means "Goodbye"), you can break it down phonetically for English speakers like this: * da-svee-DAH-nee-ya Here is a quick breakdown of the sounds: * До (da): Sounds like the "da" in "father" (the 'o' is unstressed, so it turns into an 'a' sound). * сви (svee): Sounds like "see" but with a 'v' tucked in right after the 's'. * да (DAH): This is where the emphasis goes. It rhymes with "bah." * ния (nee-ya): A quick, blended ending. When you say it all together, fluidly run the first two words into each other: *dasvee-DAH-nee-ya*. ### The History and Meaning of the Word While it is translated as a definitive "goodbye" today, the literal history of the phrase is much more open-ended and hopeful. It is actually made up of two distinct parts: 1. До (Do): A preposition meaning "until." 2. свидания (svidaniya): The genitive form of the noun *свидание* (svidanie), which translates to "meeting," "encounter," or even "rendezvous/date." #### Etymology and Evolution The root of the word comes from the Old Church Slavonic verb видать (vidat') or видеть (videt'), which means "to see." When you add the prefix с- (s-), it implies a coming together or a mutual action. Therefore, *свидание* historically meant a mutual seeing of one another—a gathering or a meeting. For centuries, Russians used various religious or formal farewells (like wishing someone God's protection). However, as language modernized into the 19th and 20th centuries, "До свидания" became the standard, polite, and universal way to part ways. Essentially, when you tell someone "До свидания," you aren't just saying farewell; you are literally telling them, "Until we see each other again."