How to Say Hello in Japanese: A Complete Guide to Greetings for Every Situation

2025/06/24

Learning how to greet people properly in Japanese is essential for anyone studying the language or planning to interact with Japanese speakers. Japanese greetings, known as aisatsu (挨拶), go far beyond simply saying “hello” – they reflect respect, social hierarchy, and cultural values that are deeply embedded in Japanese society. This comprehensive guide will teach you the appropriate greetings for every situation, from casual encounters with friends to formal business meetings.

Basic Hello That Works for Anyone, Anytime

When you’re just starting to learn Japanese, there are fundamental greetings that serve as safe, universal options regardless of the situation or your relationship with the person you’re addressing.

Konnichiwa – The Universal Japanese Hello

こんにちは konnichiwa is probably the most well-known Japanese greeting worldwide. This is probably the most common way to say hello in Japanese and roughly translates as “hello,” and can be used at any hour. However, you most commonly use it during the day time between 11am and 5pm.

Japanese	Romanization	Usage Time	Formality Level
こんにちは	konnichiwa	11 AM – 5 PM	Formal

Konnichiwa is one of the most common ways to say hello in Japanese. It can be used from late morning until late afternoon, roughly corresponding to “good day” or “hello.” This greeting is suitable for any formal or informal situation during the day. The beauty of konnichiwa lies in its versatility – you can use it with strangers, acquaintances, colleagues, or even friends without causing offense.

Time-Specific Universal Greetings

Japanese culture emphasizes acknowledging the time of day in greetings, making these three expressions the foundation of polite communication:

Japanese	Romanization	English	Usage Time	Notes
おはようございます	ohayou gozaimasu	Good morning	Before 10 AM	Formal version
こんにちは	konnichiwa	Good afternoon/Hello	11 AM – 5 PM	Most universal
こんばんは	konbanwa	Good evening	After 6 PM	Formal evening greeting

Ohayou gozaimasu is the greeting you would use to greet a teacher, boss, elder, or stranger in the morning. Ohayou and ohayou gozaimasu are most commonly used before 10 in the morning, and definitely before noon. These three greetings form what Japanese speakers call the aisatsu trio – fundamental expressions that every Japanese person uses daily.

Konbanwa means “good evening” and is used to greet someone during the evening or late afternoon. It is a formal greeting suitable for any setting in the evening, whether it’s a business meeting or a social gathering. After sunset, konbanwa becomes the appropriate choice, maintaining the same level of formality as konnichiwa.

Casual Hello for Close Relationships

When you’ve developed close relationships with Japanese friends, family members, or colleagues you know well, more casual greetings become appropriate and help create a sense of intimacy and familiarity.

Informal Morning Greetings

Japanese	Romanization	English	Relationship Level
おはよう	ohayou	Morning!	Friends and family
おはよー	ohayoo	Morning!	Very close friends

To make ohayou more casual, you can drop gozaimasu and just say ohayou. This is the more casual way of saying good morning that you can use with friends and family. You’ll often hear friends exaggerate the sounds, and draw out the “o” at the end like おはよー！

Casual Hello Expressions

For informal situations with people you’re comfortable with, Japanese offers several relaxed greeting options:

Japanese	Romanization	English Equivalent	Gender/Age Consideration
やあ	yaa	Hi/Hey	Neutral, casual
よ	yo	Yo	Masculine, between friends
ヤッホー	yahhoo	Yoo-hoo!	Feminine, childish
おす	osu	Hey	Masculine, informal

Ya-ho is a somewhat childish greeting, often used by children or young people. It’s similar to “yoo-hoo!” in English as it’s used to get someone’s attention. Osu is informal slang that’s almost always used between men. These greetings reflect the speaker’s personality and relationship dynamics, with some expressions being more gender-specific in traditional usage.

Casual Inquiry Greetings

Beyond simple hellos, casual relationships allow for more personal inquiry greetings:

Japanese	Romanization	English	Usage Context
元気？	genki?	How are you?	Close friends
元気だった？	genki datta?	How have you been?	Friends you haven’t seen recently
最近どう？	saikin dou?	How’s it going lately?	Casual catch-up
どうよ？	dou yo?	How’s life?	Very informal

When talking amongst friends or close family members, you can tone it down and use the informal 元気だった？ to ask how they’re doing. It’s good amongst friends and can be shortened even further by dropping the second half of the phrase so it reads 元気？

Business Scene Greetings

Professional environments in Japan require specific greetings that demonstrate respect, acknowledge hierarchy, and maintain proper business etiquette. These expressions are crucial for workplace success and building professional relationships.

Essential Business Greetings

お世話になっております (osewa ni natte orimasu) stands as the most important business greeting in Japanese. A phrase that makes little sense in English, osewa ni narimasu is commonly used at the beginning of a phone conversation, business meeting, or email to show appreciation to the receiver. It roughly translates to “Thank you for your continued support” and acknowledges the ongoing business relationship.

Japanese	Romanization	Usage	When to Use
お世話になっております	osewa ni natte orimasu	Thank you for your continued support	External clients, phone calls, emails
お疲れ様です	otsukaresama desu	Thank you for your hard work	Internal colleagues, general greeting
よろしくお願いします	yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Please treat me favorably	Introductions, requests

Workplace-Specific Expressions

お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu) serves as the universal workplace greeting. A phrase that roughly means “thank you for your hard work,” you would say this to colleagues, after business meetings, when clocking out of the office, or at the end of a company meal. In most cases, “otsukaresama desu” is a general-purpose greeting exchanged between colleagues at work.

Situation	Japanese	Romanization	English Meaning
Arriving at work	おはようございます	ohayou gozaimasu	Good morning
Throughout the day	お疲れ様です	otsukaresama desu	Hello/Thank you for your work
Leaving early	お先に失礼します	osaki ni shitsurei shimasu	Excuse me for leaving first
Phone greeting	お世話になっております	osewa ni natte orimasu	Thank you for your support

Even if it is no longer morning, when you arrive for the first time at the office that day, you will say おはようございます. If you are saying to your superiors, they may reply with the less formal おはよう.

Client and Customer Greetings

When dealing with external business partners, clients, or customers, more formal expressions demonstrate proper respect:

Japanese	Romanization	Usage Context	Formality Level
いらっしゃいませ	irasshaimase	Welcoming customers	Very formal
恐縮です	kyoushuku desu	I’m humbled	Receiving praise
申し訳ございません	moushiwake gozaimasen	I’m very sorry	Formal apology
失礼いたします	shitsurei itashimasu	Excuse me	Ending meetings

When ending a meeting or conversation with a client, use “失礼いたします(Shitsurei itashimasu)” (Excuse me for leaving). This polite phrase shows respect as you conclude the interaction, whether in person or online.

Situational Greetings

Different circumstances call for specific greeting expressions that acknowledge the unique context of the encounter. These situational greetings demonstrate cultural awareness and linguistic sophistication.

Phone Greetings

Telephone conversations in Japanese require special greeting protocols:

Context	Japanese	Romanization	When to Use
Casual phone answer	もしもし	moshi moshi	Personal calls
Business phone answer	はい	hai	Professional calls
Business follow-up	お世話になっております	osewa ni natte orimasu	After identifying caller

Moshi-moshi is specifically used when answering the telephone. It’s considered an informal phrase, and is appropriate when talking to friends or family rather than in professional situations. However, a more polite way to answer the phone today is “hai (はい)” or “yes,” followed by your name or your company and your name, when you are taking business calls.

Meeting Someone for the First Time

Initial encounters require specific expressions that set the proper tone for future relationships:

Japanese	Romanization	English	Context
はじめまして	hajimemashite	Nice to meet you	First meeting
よろしくお願いします	yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Please treat me favorably	After introduction
と申します	to moushimasu	My name is	Very formal introduction

Hajimemashite is used when meeting someone for the first time. It translates to “nice to meet you” and is a formal way to introduce yourself.

Reunion Greetings

When encountering someone after an extended period, special expressions acknowledge the time that has passed:

Japanese	Romanization	English	Usage
お久しぶりですね	ohisashiburi desu ne	Long time no see	Formal reunion
久しぶり	hisashiburi	Long time no see	Casual reunion
ご無沙汰しております	go-busata shite orimasu	Sorry for not contacting you	Very formal

If you run into someone that you haven’t seen in a while, you can say お久しぶりですね. This translates to “long time no see” and is commonly said to someone after going about a month or longer without seeing them.

Welcoming Expressions

Different types of welcoming require appropriate expressions:

Situation	Japanese	Romanization	Who Uses It
Store greeting	いらっしゃいませ	irasshaimase	Staff to customers
Airport/hotel	ようこそ	youkoso	Official welcome
Home visit	どうぞ	douzo	Host to guest
Returning home	おかえり(なさい)	okaeri (nasai)	Family member

You would hear this greeting when you enter a store or a restaurant in Japan. Irasshaimase means “Welcome” for store guests. But this is not what you would say to someone visiting your home.

Important Points When Greeting in Japanese

Understanding the cultural context and proper etiquette surrounding Japanese greetings is as important as knowing the words themselves. These considerations ensure respectful and appropriate communication.

Bowing Etiquette

Bowing is an essential part of Japanese greetings. While saying hello, bow slightly to show respect. The depth of the bow depends on the formality of the situation. Generally, a nod of the head is sufficient in informal settings, while a deeper bow is appropriate in formal situations and when greeting superiors.

Proper bowing technique includes these

• Keeping your back straight and feet together
• Men placing hands at their sides, women placing hands in front
• Deeper bows for higher-status individuals
• Longer bows for greater respect

Social Hierarchy Awareness

Japanese greetings reflect the complex social hierarchies that govern interpersonal relationships. Knowing a few greetings in Japanese will win you points among your colleagues regardless of your Japanese language ability. There are formal and casual versions of the same greeting, which may take some practice.

Key hierarchy considerations

• Always use formal language with superiors, elders, and strangers
• Informal greetings only with close friends and family
• Business titles may replace names in workplace settings
• The person of lower status typically initiates the greeting

Timing and Context Sensitivity

Japanese culture being deeply rooted in the heart of the language, saying hi in Japanese is not that straightforward. There are various forms of Japanese greetings that are appropriate for different situations.

Important timing rules

• Morning greetings used until the first arrival at any location
• Afternoon greetings appropriate for the main part of the day
• Evening greetings begin around sunset
• Seasonal considerations may affect greeting choices

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overly casual language: こんにちは (Konnichiwa) is a formal way of greeting in Japanese, but use it among your friends or families would be a bit weird. Using formal greetings with close friends can create unnecessary distance.

Inappropriate informality: Using casual greetings like やあ (yaa) or よ (yo) with superiors, strangers, or in business situations can be offensive and damage relationships.

Gender-specific expressions: おす (Osu) is a causal way to say Hello in Japanese. It is usually used among males. While for females, you will hear ヤッホー (Ya-ho-) quite a lot. Understanding these distinctions prevents awkward social situations.

Phone etiquette errors: Using もしもし (moshi moshi) in business calls instead of はい (hai) demonstrates poor professional awareness.

Cultural Integration Tips

Practice makes natural: Start with basic formal greetings and gradually incorporate more nuanced expressions as your understanding develops. Japanese speakers appreciate effort even when execution isn’t perfect.

Observe and adapt: When in doubt, observe and follow what local Japanese people do when greeting each other to ensure proper cultural etiquette. Regional variations and company cultures may influence greeting preferences.

Combine with non-verbal cues: Appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, and body language enhance the effectiveness of verbal greetings and demonstrate cultural sensitivity.

Seasonal awareness: Japanese culture values seasonal consciousness, and advanced speakers may incorporate seasonal references into their greetings during appropriate times of year.

Mastering Japanese greetings opens doors to meaningful cultural exchange and demonstrates respect for Japanese social customs. Whether you’re planning a business trip to Japan, studying the language, or building relationships with Japanese speakers, these greetings form the foundation of successful communication. Remember that aisatsu represents more than words – it embodies the Japanese values of respect, harmony, and social awareness that make personal and professional relationships flourish.

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