17 Methods to Say “Hi there” in Japanese

These are the most typical methods to say “hey” in Japanese:

• “Hello” – やあ！ (Ya-)
• “Hi there” – こんにちは (Konnichiwa)
• “Hi there” on the cellphone – もしもし (Moshi moshi)
• “Good morning” – おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu)
• “Good Night” – こんばんは (Konbanwa)
• “Yoohoo”- ヤッホー (Ya-ho-)
• “Hey” – おす！ (Osu!)
• “Yo!” – よー！(Yo-!)
• “How are you?” – お元気ですか (O-genki desu ka)
• “How’s it going?”- 調子はどうですか (Choushi wa dou desu ka)

It’s also possible to enhance your pronunciation with this video:

Now let’s have a better take a look at these greetings to know which you should use when.

A brilliant easy greeting to begin off with! やあ is used casually between associates. It’s extra of an exclamation to seize consideration. In Japanese, it’s widespread to greet your mates and coworkers with a やあ, or simply あー (Aah-), adopted by their title.

Right here’s an instance:

やあ！すずきちゃん、今日いい天気ですね。(Yaa-! Suzuki-chan, kyou ii tenki desu ne.) <br>
“Hello! Suzuki-chan, good climate at the moment, huh.”

You possibly can even omit the exclamation and solely greet somebody with their title to say “hello.”

こんにちは is “hey” in Japanese, nevertheless it’s not used as typically as you’ll suppose. こんにちは is considerably formal so it might sound a bit awkward to say it to a buddy. Whereas it’s regular in some cultures to alternate brief, pleasant greetings to these you go on the road, that’s a giant no-no in Japan. You wouldn’t greet a passing stranger with こんにちは. It’s primarily utilized in semi-formal conditions, like in an workplace area.

It additionally means “good afternoon” in Japanese, and so you’ll actually solely use it within the afternoon.

Easy methods to say “my title is” in Japanese is kind of easy. You possibly can say it two methods: 名前は＿＿＿です。 (Namae wa **** desu.) or ＿＿＿＿です。(____ desu._)

All you must do is fill your title within the clean. So, for instance, I might say 名前はケイトリンです。 (Namae wa Keitorin desu) Or, I might shorten it and say: ケイトリンです。(Keitorin desu.)

In Japanese, Namae is “title,”, wa is the topic marker, and desu is the serving to verb “is.” That’s why you’ll be able to say Namae wa or simply your title and desu. The primary means “My title is Caitlin” whereas the second means “I’m Caitlin.”

To be technical, the complete phrase could be 私の名前は＿＿＿です。 (Watashi no namae wa **** desu._) However watashi no (“my”) isn’t wanted as a result of it’s understood in context. You nearly by no means want to make use of watashi except it is advisable to make clear the topic.

In case you’re in a really formal state of affairs, there may be one much less widespread option to introduce your self: と申します。(___ to moushimasu.) It’s a well mannered option to say “My title is” or “I name myself.” That is humble speech and is used when speaking to somebody of a lot larger standing. It’s often solely utilized in enterprise conditions if you’re introducing your self to a brand new firm shopper or the corporate president.

Within the mornings, you’ll be able to greet individuals with おはようございます. It’s a proper option to greet somebody so you’ll use it when saying hey to your boss within the morning.

Informally, you’ll drop gozaimasu and simply say ohayou. This is quite common to say to everybody. You’ll typically hear associates exaggerate the sounds, and draw out the “o” on the finish like おはよー！

Within the night, greet others by saying こんばんは. It’s a well mannered and formal option to say “good night.” You should utilize this with nearly anybody, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly extra widespread to greet family and friends with a casual greeting on this listing as an alternative.

That is extra a parting phrase than a greeting. However at evening and when going to mattress, you say おやすみなさい. It actually means: “Go take a relaxation.”

Between family and friends, you would depart off the nasai that makes the phrase formal. As an alternative, say おやすみ－！

In case you haven’t seen somebody for some time (three weeks or longer) you’ll be able to say お久しぶりですね。This implies, “It’s been some time, huh?” or “Very long time no see!” You may say this to anybody, from a buddy to somebody within the office. The “o” originally provides respect, and the “ne” on the finish means “huh” or “proper?” Each could be dropped, to make it a much less formal assertion.

You’ll mix this phrase with different greetings. Right here’s an instance:

あー、すずきさん。久しぶりですね。元気だった？ (Aa-, Suzuki-san. Hisashiburi desu ne. Genki datta?)
“Ah, Suzuki-san. Very long time no see, huh. How have you ever been?”

This can be a very informal greeting, often between younger youngsters or shut associates. It’s a extra female greeting, however don’t fear boys – your greeting is subsequent.

ヤッホー is one other exclamation kind of greeting used to seize a detailed buddy or little one’s consideration. It’s like yelling “Yoohoo!” and waving for consideration. You’d observe it together with your buddy’s title.

おす is a masculine, slang option to greet different guys. Women don’t usually say this (though I’d be mendacity if I mentioned it wasn’t my favourite casual greeting. I take advantage of it generally with associates – typically receiving unusual seems). And guys wouldn’t say it to ladies.

Not like the opposite casual phrases on this listing, it’s an exclamation that’s extra typically used if you already see and have the particular person’s consideration. So that you don’t must observe it up with their title, however you continue to can.

It may also be used as “Sure, sir!” or a “Roger!” Some anime use this, nevertheless it’s not widespread in on a regular basis speech.

Precisely the identical as English. You may greet a detailed buddy informally with a easy yo! You wouldn’t say this to anybody older than you, although. This one can be extra masculine, however generally younger women and girls say it, too, to get somebody’s consideration.

You possibly can additionally use the phrase おーい！(O-i!) That is solely used as an exclamation, and it’s a extra masculine expression. It may be a bit impolite or harsh, so that you’d solely use this with individuals near you.

You may greet somebody with “How are you” by saying お元気ですか. The “o” right here is to point out respect, and “ka” is the query particle. You may drop the “o” to make it casual and to answer, you could possibly say genki desu. The phrase genki means “power” or “wholesome,” so that you’re asking “Are you wholesome?”

Not like in English, you don’t ask somebody this phrase typically. You often wouldn’t ask somebody you noticed yesterday, “How are you at the moment?” in Japanese. But when it’s been some time, it’s widespread to place the phrase up to now tense and ask 元気だった？ (Genki datta, “How have you ever been?”) To simplify it additional, you could possibly solely say “Genki?” and lift the inflection on the final syllable.

One other option to ask how somebody is doing is to say いかがですか (Ikaga desu ka). It means each “How are you?” and “How’s it going?” However it’s extra formal and used to ask a higher-status particular person how one thing particular goes. Like their job, or faculty.

Instance:

お仕事はいかがですか。(O-shigoto wa ikaga desu ka) <br>
“How’s work going?” or “How is your work going?”

The precise translation for this one is “What’s your situation?” nevertheless it’s used informally to ask “how’s it going” in Japanese.

The distinction right here is that it’s a “how are you” phrase to observe up on one thing that was already mentioned between you and a buddy. As an example, the final time you noticed your buddy, they informed you they have been slammed at work and careworn about it. If you see them once more, you’ll be able to ask 調子はどうですか to see the way it’s been since.

If you come residence, you’ll be able to announce it by proclaiming ただいまー！This implies “I’m again!” or “I’ve returned residence!” You should utilize this at work, too, if you’ve left the workplace for some time and returned.

You’ll be greeted in return with お帰り (okaeri) which accurately means “you’ve returned” however interprets higher as “welcome again.” In case you’re returning to the workplace from a enterprise journey or out-of-the-office assembly, you is likely to be greeted as an alternative with お疲れ様 (otsukaresama) or simply お疲れ (otsukare). Each imply “you should be drained” or “thanks on your arduous work,” however otsukare is much less formal.

If you meet somebody for the primary time, you can begin off by saying はじめまして. This implies “good to satisfy you.”

You’d usually observe it by giving your title, after which saying よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimau). That is additionally often translated as “good to satisfy you” nevertheless it has many, many makes use of in Japanese.

A extra correct (however awkward in English) which means could be “please take care of me.” It’s a proper expression used everytime you’re asking to construct a relationship with somebody, or when you must put your belief in them. It may also be shortened to “yoroshiku” to be much less formal.

A standard greeting at New 12 months’s is あけましておめでとうございます。今年もよろしくお願いします。(Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) So if you see individuals after the brand new 12 months, you’re wishing them “Comfortable New 12 months! This 12 months, once more, please take care of me.” To shut associates, you shorten it to あけおめ！今年もよろしく (Akeome! Kotoshi mo yoroshiku).

If you stroll right into a retailer in Japan, you’ll typically be greeted with いらっしゃいませ！It means “welcome” to retailer company.

Nonetheless, you wouldn’t say this to somebody coming into your house. If you arrive at another person’s residence, you greet them with お邪魔します (ojama shimasu). It means “I’m sorry to hassle you.” The host would welcome you by saying どうぞ (douzo), or “please, after you,” “are available,” or “go forward.”

Answering your cellphone in Japanese additionally has its personal greeting! If you say “hey” on the cellphone, you say もしもし with a raised inflection to say “Hi there?” It comes from the verb 申す (mousu), the standard model of “to say.” Nonetheless, you’ll solely use moshi moshi when answering a cellphone name from a buddy or member of the family.

In enterprise conditions, moshi moshi is taken into account impolite. So as an alternative, you’d reply the cellphone with はい (hai, “sure”), adopted by your final title/household title or the corporate title.

Like English, you too can begin off by greeting somebody with a generic phrase in regards to the climate. Normally, it’ll be one thing alongside the traces of いい天気ですね (ii tenki desu ne, “Good climate, isn’t it?”) or 暑い / 寒い ですね (atsui / samui desu ne, “It’s scorching / It’s chilly, isn’t it?)

There are numerous methods to greet somebody in Japanese! However the easiest way to strike up a dialog and get began talking Japanese is with a easy “hey.” Studying these phrases is a superb place to begin getting comfy with the language.

Now, be taught your core Japanese phrases to broaden your vocabulary!