We all know that, in any language, memorizing greeting phrases is very useful. In Japanese culture, greeting others with respect is very important. In this blog post, I would like to introduce you to the basic greetings in Japanese. \u00a0If you don’t have time to read through, you can watch the video at the end of the post to review some of the key greetings.<\/p>\n
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\u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046 – ohayo\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n – Good morning (casual way of saying to your friends or among your family)<\/p>\n \u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059 -ohayo gozaimasu<\/strong><\/p>\n -Good morning (more formal way of saying “good morning”. You will say this to someone other than your close friends and family.)<\/p>\n \u3053\u3093\u306b\u3061\u306f- konnichiwa<\/strong><\/p>\n -Hello<\/p>\n \u3044\u305f\u3060\u304d\u307e\u3059 – itadaki masu<\/strong><\/p>\n -Thank you for the food or I humbly receive.<\/span>\u00a0(Before you start eating, you will say this by putting your hands together by your chest. You would also say this when you receive something from others. In that case, you would say “Thank you. I humbly receive your gift.” In Japanese, it would be “\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002Arigatogozaimasu. Itadakimasu.”)<\/p>\n \u3054\u3061\u305d\u3046\u3055\u307e – gochisosama<\/strong><\/p>\n -Thank you for the meal. (You say this at the end of the meal.)<\/p>\n \u3044\u3063\u3066\u304d\u307e\u3059 – ittekimasu<\/strong><\/p>\n -I am leaving. (Before you leave your home, you would say this to your family member.)<\/p>\n \u3044\u3063\u3066\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u3044\u3000-itterasshai<\/strong><\/p>\n -See you later. (This phrase literally means that “go and come back”. However, if I were to translate this into English, it is more like, see you later. \u00a0\u3044\u3063\u3066\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u3044\u00a0<\/strong>is often followed by the phrase “\u304d\u3092\u3064\u3051\u3066\u201d in Japanese, meaning “be careful, or take care”.)<\/p>\n \u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044 – gomennasai<\/strong><\/p>\n -I am sorry<\/p>\n \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046 – arigato<\/strong><\/p>\n -Thank you<\/p>\n \u3055\u3088\u3046\u306a\u3089 – sayonara<\/strong><\/p>\n -Good bye<\/p>\n \u307e\u305f\u3042\u3057\u305f – mata ashita<\/strong><\/p>\n -See you tomorrow<\/p>\n \u305f\u3060\u3044\u307e- tadaima<\/strong><\/p>\n -I am home. (When you come home as you enter your house, you would say this to your family members.)<\/p>\n \u304a\u304b\u3048\u308a\u3000-okaeri<\/strong><\/p>\n -Welcome home<\/p>\n \u304a\u304b\u3048\u308a\u306a\u3055\u3044 – okaerinasai<\/strong><\/p>\n -Welcome home (More politer way of saying “welcome home”.)<\/p>\n \u3053\u3093\u3070\u3093\u306f – konbanwa<\/strong><\/p>\n -Good evening<\/p>\n \u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f – oyasumi<\/strong><\/p>\n -Good night<\/p>\n \u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044 – oyasuminasai<\/strong><\/p>\n -Good night (more politer way of saying “good night”<\/p>\n \u306f\u3058\u3081\u307e\u3057\u3066 – hajimemashite<\/strong><\/p>\n -Nice to meet you.<\/p>\n \u3072\u3055\u3057\u3076\u308a – hisashiburi<\/strong><\/p>\n -Long time no see.<\/p>\n \u304a\u3072\u3055\u3057\u3076\u308a\u3067\u3059\u3000- ohisashi buridesu<\/strong><\/p>\n -Long time no see (more politer way of saying “long time no see”)<\/p>\n \u3054\u3076\u3055\u305f\u3057\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059 – gobusata shiteorimasu<\/strong><\/p>\n -Long time no see (this also means the same thing as above phrases; however, this is much more politer way of saying “long time no see, or I haven’t seen you for a while.” You would use this phrase to someone older or in higher social status)<\/p>\n \u304a\u3052\u3093\u304d\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f- ogenki desuka?<\/strong><\/p>\n -How are you?<\/p>\n \u3088\u308d\u3057\u304f – yoroshiku<\/strong><\/p>\n -Please take care of the matter, or nice meeting you. (This phrase would mean differently depending on the way you use this. If you say this at the end of the phrase, “Nice to meet you.”, it would mean, more like “pleased to meet you”. (\u306f\u3058\u3081\u307e\u3057\u3066\u3001\u3069\u3046\u305e\u3088\u308d\u3057\u304f) It could also mean \u00a0“please take care of the matter”, if someone like your boss says this to you by asking you to do something.)<\/p>\n \u304a\u90aa\u9b54\u3057\u307e\u3059 – ojama shimasu<\/strong><\/p>\n -Literally means “I will disturb you.” (When you are visiting someone’s house, you say this before you enter the house.)<\/p>\n \u304a\u90aa\u9b54\u3057\u307e\u3057\u305f – ojama shimashita<\/strong><\/p>\n -Literally means “I have disturbed you.” (When you are leaving someone’s house, you say this phrase.)<\/p>\n \u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u3044 – irasshai<\/strong><\/p>\n -Welcome (phrase used when you are welcoming someone into your house)<\/p>\n \u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3000-irasshai mase<\/strong><\/p>\n -Welcome (more politer way of saying “welcome”. You would often hear this when you enter a store or restaurant. \u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u3044\u307e\u305b <\/strong>is used to welcome someone into a place of business rather than into your house.)<\/p>\n \u3088\u3046\u3053\u305d – yo-koso<\/strong><\/p>\n -Welcome (This also means “welcome”. We often use it along with the name of the place. For example, \u65e5\u672c\u3078\u3088\u3046\u3053\u305d\uff01(Nihon e yo-koso) meaning, “Welcome to Japan.”)<\/p>\n \u3069\u3046\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3057\u3066 – do-itashimashite<\/strong><\/p>\n -You are welcome<\/p>\n <\/p>\n