Learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in Japanese.
Common Japanese greetings:
Introducing yourself:
| Japanese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | Hello | こんにちは、田中さん！ |
| おはようございます | Good morning (formal) | おはようございます、先生。 |
| こんばんは | Good evening | こんばんは、いい夜ですね。 |
| さようなら | Goodbye | さようなら、またいつか。 |
| はじめまして | Nice to meet you | はじめまして、私は田中です。 |
| ありがとう | Thank you | ありがとうございます！ |
| すみません | Excuse me / Sorry | すみません、駅はどこですか？ |
| よろしく | Please (treat me well) | どうぞよろしく。 |
| Word | Phonetic | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | Kon-ni-chi-wa | Each syllable is equally timed. The "wa" at the end is actually the particle は |
| よろしくお願いします | Yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-ga-i-shi-mas | A full phrase said after introductions. The final "u" in "masu" is often silent |
| おはようございます | O-ha-yō go-za-i-mas | The ō is a long "o" sound. Final "u" often silent |
Politeness levels: Japanese has multiple speech levels. です/ます (desu/masu) forms are polite and safe for learners. Casual speech drops these endings.
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