Nihongo Nihongo
Japanese greetings you need to know
Common Greetings
1. おはよう ohayou: Good Morning (from sunrise to 10.00)
2. おはようございます ohayou gozaimasu: Good Morning (more polite)
3. こんにちは konnichiwa: Good Evening (from 10.00 to dark)
4. こんばんは konbanwa: Good Night (once dark)
5. あきましておめでとう akimashite omedetou: Happy new year (used only after 1st of Jan).
6. お誕生日おめでとう otanjoubi omedetou: Happy birthday
7. おめでとう omedetou: Congratulations
8. おめでとうございます omedetou gozaimasu: Congratulations (more polite)
9. もしもし moshi moshi:Hello (only used on phone)
Saying Goodbye
1. おやすみなさい oyasuminasai: Have a good night sleep / good night (when someone about to sleep)
2. さようなら sayounara: Goodbye (for a long time)
3. じゃまた ja mata: Okay, bye!
4. また後で mata ato de: See you next time
5. また明日 mata ashita: See you tomorrow
Introduction
1. 初めまして hajimemashite: Nice to meet you (used in the first meeting)
2. よろしくお願いします yoroshiku onegaishimasu: Please take care of me (used at the end of a self-introduction)
Cultural Greeting at home
1. 行ってきます ittekimasu: I’m leaving (used when going outside the house. Literally means “I will go and come back”)
2. 行ってらしゃい itterasshai: Proper response for 行ってきます (ittekimasu), literally means “please go and come back”.
3. ただいま tadaima: Translated as “I’m back”.
4. おかえり okaeri: Translated as “Welcome home”. Proper response for ただいま (tadaima).
5. おかえりなさい okaerinasai: A more polite version of おかえり (okaeri).
6. いただきます itadakimasu: Thanks for the food! (Used when you’re about to eat).
7. ごちそうさまでした gochisousama deshita: What a well prepared dish! (Used after you eat as a compliment to the one who prepared it).
8. おじゃまします ojamashimasu:Sorry for intruding (Used when entering other people’s house)
9. 気をつけてください ki o tsukete kudasai: Please be careful.
10. 気をつけて! ki o tsukete!: Be careful!
Thank you & Sorry
1. ありがとう arigatou: Thank you
2. ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu: Thank you (more polite)
3. ごめんなさい gomennasai: I’m sorry (often used for someone equal or lower status)
4. ごめん gomen: Less polite version of ごめんなさい (gomennasai)
5. すみません sumimasen: Excuse me / Sorry (a polite word)
6. 申し訳ありません moushiwake arimasen: I apologize (a formal apology used by worker when apologizing to guest. Literally means “I have no excuse”)
7. おまたせしました omataseshimashita: Thanks for waiting (used by worker to guest)
Work related and other useful phrases
1. どうぞゆっくりしてください douzo yukkuri shite kudasai: Please take your time.
2. おかげさまです okagesama desu: It all thanks to you. (common greeting used when you’re about to leave from work or after you finish some work with someone).
3. お先に osaki ni: This phrase is used as a goodbye greeting when you’re about to leave the office before someone else.
4. お願いします onegaishimasu : Please. *Learn more about this word*
5. 頑張ってください ganbatte kudasai: Good luck! (used to give encouragement to people so they can do well on something)
6. 頑張って ganbatte: Good luck! (less polite version).
7. お元気で ogenki de: Take care of your health
8. お元気です ogenki desu: I’m doing good / I’m well
9. どうぞ douzo: A phrase used to let someone do something or when you give something to someone.
