First phrases: greetings, thanks and introducing yourself
Short answer: Japanese greetings change with the time of day: おはようございます in the morning, こんにちは in the daytime and こんばんは in the evening. Add ありがとうございます (thank you), すみません (excuse me, sorry) and one self-introduction, and you can be polite in almost any first meeting. Japanese also has set phrases for moments English leaves silent, such as starting a meal.
In こんにちは and こんばんは the final は is read wa: these greetings began as the topic of a longer sentence, “as for today…”.
Greetings
Polite forms end in ございます or なさい; the short forms in brackets are for friends and family. さようなら is less common than English “goodbye”: it sounds final, so colleagues say お先に失礼します (see below) and friends say じゃあね.
Phrase
Meaning
When
ohayō gozaimasu
good morning
until about 10 am (おはよう with friends)
konnichiwa
hello, good afternoon
from late morning to dusk
konbanwa
good evening
after dark
oyasumi nasai
good night
when going to bed (おやすみ)
sayōnara
goodbye
for a long parting
jā ne
see you
casual, with friends
osaki ni shitsurei shimasu
excuse me for leaving first
leaving work before colleagues
Thank you, sorry and you’re welcome
Politeness in Japanese comes from choosing the right set phrase. These are the ones you will use most.
すみません: one word, three jobs
すみません sumimasen literally means “it does not end”, as in “my debt to you is not settled”. That is why one word covers apologising, getting attention and thanking someone who went to trouble for you.
Getting attention
Apologising
Thanking for trouble
Introducing yourself
A Japanese self-introduction (jiko shōkai) follows a fixed shape: “first time”, your name, one fact, then よろしくおねがいします, which asks the other person to treat you kindly from now on. It has no English equivalent, so do not try to translate it; just say it.
A
はじめましてhajimemashitefor the first time
Hajimemashite. · “Nice to meet you.”Said only at a first meeting.
A
田中TanakaTanakaですdesuam
Tanaka desu. · “I’m Tanaka.”Japanese gives the family name. No “I” is needed.
B
はじめましてhajimemashitefor the first timeエマEmaEmmaですdesuam
Hajimemashite. Ema desu. · “Nice to meet you. I’m Emma.”Foreign names in katakana.
B
イギリスIgirisuBritainからkarafrom来ましたkimashitacame
Igirisu kara kimashita. · “I’m from Britain.”Literally “came from Britain”. から means “from”.
B
よろしくyoroshikukindlyおねがいしますonegai shimasuI ask
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. · “I look forward to knowing you.”The other person replies こちらこそ, “likewise”, and the same phrase.
Yes, no and “that’s a bit…”
はい means “yes” but also “I am listening”, so a nod and はい do not always mean agreement. いいえ is a clear “no” and can sound blunt; Japanese speakers often decline with ちょっと… (“it’s a little…”) and let the sentence trail off.
Set phrases for daily moments
These phrases are said every day in every Japanese home. Each one has a reply, so they come in pairs.
Before and after a meal
Leaving the house
Coming home
Entering a room
Polite and casual
Start with the polite forms: they are always safe with strangers, shop staff and anyone older. Switch to the casual form only when the other person does.
Polite
Meaning
Casual
arigatō gozaimasu
thank you
ありがとう
ohayō gozaimasu
good morning
おはよう
sumimasen
sorry
ごめん
sayōnara
goodbye
じゃあね、またね
oyasumi nasai
good night
おやすみ
On the phone
Phrases for any phone call.
Congratulations and condolences
Set phrases for life events.
Check yourself
Try each one, then open the answer to check and hear it.
Good morning (polite).Show answer
Ohayō gozaimasu.
Thank you very much.Show answer
Arigatō gozaimasu.
Excuse me! (to a waiter)Show answer
Sumimasen!
Nice to meet you.Show answer
Hajimemashite.
I look forward to working with you.Show answer
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Phrases in short exchanges
Read each line, then press play and repeat it.
すみませんsumimasenexcuse meお水omizuwaterをo(object)くださいkudasaiplease give
Sumimasen, omizu o kudasai.“Excuse me, some water, please.”Why:すみません gets attention. お before 水 is a polite prefix used for many everyday nouns.
ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasuthank youいいえiienot at all
Arigatō gozaimasu. / Iie.“Thank you. / Not at all.”Why:いいえ is the everyday reply to thanks. どういたしまして exists but sounds stiff in casual speech.
ただいまtadaimaI’m homeおかえりなさいokaeri nasaiwelcome back
Tadaima. / Okaeri nasai.“I’m home. / Welcome back.”Why:A fixed pair: whoever arrives says ただいま, whoever is at home answers.