Ave atque vale
“Hail and farewell.”
Catullus 101.10
What does “Ave atque vale” mean?
Ave atque vale translates as “Hail and farewell.”
A greeting and a goodbye in one. It is used for final farewells and memorial moments.
“Ave atque vale” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ave | hail, greetings | imperative of avere, “to be well”; a greeting addressed to one person (to several people: avete) |
| atque | and | a conjunction joining two words or phrases; here it links the two commands |
| vale | farewell, be well | imperative singular of valere, “to be strong, to be well”; used as the standard Latin goodbye (to several people: valete) |
How to pronounce “Ave atque vale”
The difference is mainly the v: classical Latin says it as w, church Latin as v. The stress falls on the first syllable of ave and vale, and on the first syllable of atque.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase is “hail and be well”, a greeting joined to a goodbye. Ave and vale were the everyday Roman words for hello and goodbye.
The line comes from the last verse of Catullus 101, a short poem written for his dead brother. Catullus speaks of travelling a long way to the grave to give the last gift owed to the dead, and he ends the poem with these words.
Later poets and writers have echoed the phrase in epitaphs, memorials and farewell speeches. It is still used for final goodbyes, especially in remembrance of someone who has died.
How to use “Ave atque vale”
It suits a memorial inscription, a tribute or sympathy card, a tattoo in memory of someone, or the closing line of a eulogy or an essay on farewell. It also works for a final goodbye that is not about death, such as the end of an era.
- Latin
- Ave atque vale
- English
- Hail and farewell.
- Source
- Catullus 101.10
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Farewell
Common mistakes
- It is not a casual hello and goodbye. In ancient Latin ave and vale were ordinary greetings, but today the phrase reads as solemn and final.
- Speaking to more than one person needs the plural: avete atque valete.
- Do not drop the atque. “Ave vale” is not the form Catullus wrote.
Questions about “Ave atque vale”
What does “Ave atque vale” mean literally?
“Hail and be well”, meaning “greetings and goodbye”. Ave greets, vale takes leave, and the two commands are joined by atque.
Who wrote “Ave atque vale”?
The Roman poet Catullus, in poem 101, line 10. It is the closing line of the poem he wrote for his brother.
How do you pronounce “Ave atque vale”?
In classical Latin, AH-weh AHT-kweh WAH-leh. In church Latin, AH-veh AHT-kweh VAH-leh.
Is “Ave atque vale” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine Latin taken directly from Catullus. Keep the three words together and in this order.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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