Japanese Greetings
In Japan, greetings are given great importance. It is considered rude to fail to greet someone or even to greet them in a lazy or offhand manner. The most common ways to greet someone in Japan are
Konnichiwa --------- Hi ; Good afternoon. ( formal / informal )
Ohayou gozaimasu / Ohayou ------------ Good morning ( formal )
Ohayou ---------- Good morning ( informal )
Konbanwa ----------- Good evening
Say Ohayou gozaimasu to your superior instead of Ohayou. And don't forget to bow when you greet him.
As you've probably noticed, people in Japan also greet each other by bowing. A small head nod is a considered casual and is used when greeting family or friends. When greeting a superior, it is a sign of respect to use a deep, longer bow: roughly a 90-degree bend at the waist. Most Japanese people don't expect foreign travelers to understand bowing etiquette and so will usually accept a nod of the head or a handshake.
How are you? How's it going? How many times a day do you hear or say these brief greetings at the beginning of your conversations? So many times, in fact, that half the time, you don't even pay attention. These pleasantries are common in Japan as well. The Japanese phrase equivalent to “How are you?” is Genki desu ka, which literally means “Are you well ?”
Other common ways to ask how someone is doing are
Hajimemashite. ------- How do you do?
" How are you ? " in Japanese
O-genki desu ka. ----------- How are you? ( formal )
Genki --------- How are you ? ( informal )
Kinou wa byouki datta kedo,kiyou wa genki ni nare sou desu ------------ I was ill yesterday but I am feeling fine today!
Sukoshi yasume ba genki ni naru deshou ---------- I'll be fine if I take a little rest.
Watashi wa genki ni yattemasu ------------ I am getting well.
Isha wa watashi ni mamonaku genki ni naruyo to itta. ---------------- The doctor told me that I would recover soon.
Okusama wa ogenki desu ka ------------ How's your wife?
Gokazoku wa ogenki desu ka ------------ How is your family?
Konnichiwa ogenki desu ka ------------ Good day, how are you?
Hon kon ofisu no minasan wa o genki desu ka. ----------- How is everyone at the Hong Kong office?
O genki desu ka. Ohisashiburi desu ne. ------------- How are you doing? I haven't seen you for an age!
Konnichiwa, Ari. O genki desu ka ------------ Hi, Ali. How are you!
Konnichiwa, o genki desu ka, minasan ------------- Hi, how are you, everyone?
Watashi wa genki desu ----------- I am fine
Chichi wa genki desu ----------- My father is in good health.
Kanojo mo genki desu ------------ She is also fine.
Chichi wa aikawarazu genki desu. --------------- Father is well as usual.
Aikawarazu ---------- as ever ; as usual ; the same
Uchi de wa minna genki desu ka ---------- Is everyone fine is at home.
Ari san wa saikin genki nai desu ----------- Ali hasn't been very well recently.
Kodomotachi wa genki desu ka ----------- How are the kids?
Kodomotachi wa genki ippai da ------------ The kids are very well.
Saikin dou ---------- How are things going lately ?
Hai, genki desu, arigatou gozaimasu ------------ Well, thanks.
Okage sama de genki desu ------------ I am well, thanks to you.
Totemo genki desu ------------ Very well.
Kawarinai desu. ------------- As always.
Chotto tsukarete imasu. ------------ A little tired.
Byouki desu. ------------ I’m sick.
Maa maa. ------------- So-so.
Nantoka. ------------- Barely coping.
Anmari. -------------- Not so good.
A common follow-up question is, “ And you ?”, “Anata wa ?” or address the person by name “ ( name ) – san wa ” Or for a more informal way, “ name – kun / -chan -wa ”
Anata wa ---------- And you ? ( formal )
Ari wa --------- And you Ali ?
If someone tells you that he or she is not feeling well you could say the following…
Odaiji ni. ----------- I hope you feel better.
Taihen desu ne. ----------- That’s tough.
Okinodokuni. ------------ I am sorry ( you are not well )
If someone is feeling great you might want to say the following…
Sore wa yokatta desu. ---------- Nice to hear.
Arigatou gozaimasu. ---------- Thank you
Thank you very much. ---------- Doumo arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you. ( past ) --------- Arigatou gozaimashita.
Thanks. ---------- Doumo.
Douitashimashite --------- You're welcome.
Kochira koso ----------- The pleasure is mine.
Before eating food ----------- Itadakimasu.
Literally means "I accept ( the food )". Used when you start eating as a signal "Let's start ".
You can say this to the person who is treating you the meal.
After eating food --------- Gochisousamadeshita.
Literally means " It was a wonderful feast ". Used when you finished eating food.
You can say this to thank the person who treated you the meal.
Okagesama de. ----------- Thank you. ( Due to your kind thought, I am well )
Hisashiburi ----------- Long time, no see
Ari san wa -------- How about you, Ali ?
As you'd expect, when someone asks you how you're doing, there are many possible responses.
Hai, genki desu. ---------- Yes, I'm fine.
Ee, maamaa desu. ------------ Well, so-so.
Hai, watashi mo genki desu. ---------- Yes, I'm fine, too.
The particle mo in Watashi mo genki desu means "also."
There are also many ways to say goodbye.
Mata ashita. ---------- See you tomorrow.
Sayounara. -------- Goodbye.
Oyasumi nasai. --------- Good night.
Ogenki desu ka
Are you fine ? ; It is often translated into " how are you ", but it's not used to the people whom you meet every day like English "how are you?", but to the people whom you meet after a long time. Ohayou, konnichiwa and atsui desu ne etc. are used to the people whom you meet every day.
atsui desu ne ----------- It's hot, isn't it ? ; These expressions on weather are used as daily greetings, like English "How are you?".
samui desu ne ---------- It's cold, isn't it ?
ii tenki desu ne ----------- It is a fine day, isn't it ?
gomennasai ----------- I'm sorry; Casual expression of apology
Ojamashimasu -------- Excuse me for disturbing you
( Greeting used when going to someone's house )
Gomenkudasai --------- Anybody home? / May I come in? / An expression used by a visitor
Gomen ------------ Sorry / Excuse me.
Sumimase ----------- Sorry / Excuse me.
Moshiwake arimasen ---------- Sorry / Excuse me.
Moshiwake gozaimasen --------- Sorry / Excuse me.
Hontou ni gomennasai ----------- I am really sorry.
Hontou ni moshiwake arimasen ------------- I am really sorry.
Hontou ni moshiwake gozaimasen ------------- I am really sorry.
ii desu yo ----------- That is OK. / Don't worry about it.
Go shinpai naku ------------- That is OK. / Don't worry about it.
Kini shinaide ------------- Never mind / That's all right.
Shinpai shinaide ------------- Never mind / That's all right.
sumimasen ------------ Excuse me, Sorry; In daily conversation, suimasen is overwhelming often used and it is also used as a light apology. The polite form is Sumimasen.
itte kimasu -------------- Said when you go out. ( I am going out now. See you later
( Phrase used when going out from home) lit. Go and come back
itterasshai --------- Reply to itte kimasu ( Take care. Have a nice day (Response to " Ittekimas", used by people in the house)
tadaima -------- When you return your home or office.
okaerinasai ----------- Reply to tadaima ( Welcome back (Response to " Tadaima ", used by people in the house )
o-saki ni shitsurei shimasu ------------ When you leave office earlier than others.
otsukaresama deshita ----------------- ( 1) Reply to o-saki ni shitsurei shimasu ----------------- ( 2) When you finished something which you did with others such as a meeting.
osaki ni douzo ---------- Go ahead
ki o tsukete ----------- lit. " be careful ", To the person who will go to travel like " Have a nice trip " in English.
omedetou gozaimasu ------------ Congratulations
ki ni shinaide -------- Don't mention it
dou zo ohairi kudasai ---------- Please come in
douzo okake kudasai ---------- Please have a seat
douzo osuwari kudasai --------- Please sit down, Please have a seat
Ganbatte! --------- Good Luck!, do your best, try hard
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