Konnichiwa means “good day” or “good afternoon” and is the most used phrase to greet one another.
Meaning: Hello. Pronunciation: koh-nee-chee-wah. About: This is probably the most common way to say hello in Japanese. Konnichiwa is used broadly throughout the day and is what you'll usually see translated as simply “hello” as you learn Japanese.
You would actually use it to greet strangers or in formal situations but, even though it is formal, “konnichiwa”, the well-known hello in Japanese, would not normally be used when greeting colleagues, as it is not considered polite.
Simple Basic Japanese Phrases
Konnichiwa is used to say hello during the day time whilst other phrases are used for 'good morning' and 'good evening'. During your first visit a simple 'konnichiwa' any time of day will be appreciated. Hello (General greeting) – Moshi moshi. Reply to 'How are you?
Sayonara is a casual way to say goodbye, similar to phrases like "so long" or "see ya!" You might say sayonara to your traveling grandmother, or say sayonara to a terrible job at the end of a long summer. It's a Japanese word that has been a popular informal word in English since the late 1800s.
Arigatou on its own is a simple, somewhat casual “thank you.” That said, most people prefer doumo arigatou or arigatou gozaimasu as their standard way of saying thanks, because both of those phrases are more polite than arigatou on its own.
These all mean "I'm going to say (talk)." Eventually it was shortened to "moushi" (申し) and was used to catch somebody's attention, like saying "hey!" Technically, when you say "moshi moshi," you're politely saying "I'm going to talk" twice. But it feels more like, "Hey, dude."
See, while moushimasu (申します) is the humble verb form, moshi moshi, though originally used to be polite, has evolved to be considered casual, general speech. That means if you're picking up a call from your manager or boss, it's better to say hai (はい), which means a polite “yes”.
In this situation, はい (“yes”) is used as “Hello”. You typically state your name and/or company name when answering the phone in this way. As with everything else, you can upgrade your politeness level depending on your situation. はい、ジョンです。
The most common phrases when greeting someone familiar is “Ohayō gozaimasu” (Good morning), “Konnichiwa” ('Hello' or 'Good day'), and “Konbanwa” ('Good evening').
In Japan, people greet each other by bowing. A bow can ranges from a small nod of the head to a deep bend at the waist. A deeper, longer bow indicates respect and conversely a small nod with the head is casual and informal. If the greeting takes place on tatami floor, people get on their knees to bow.
The simplest and most straightforward way of saying yes in Japanese is はい hai. In a more formal style, one may also use は！ ha!. If you are conversing with a close acquaintance, ええ ee is also suitable.
When someone greets you in Japanese with “Konnichiwa” it is best to respond with the same phrase “Konnichiwa”.
Sometimes it's used as neutral filler speech to indicate you're listening. Sometimes it's used as a sign of acknowledgement. Sometimes it's used as a delineating device to indicate a change in topic. Sometimes it's used as a way of saying “here you go”.
1. Arigato gozaimasu! / Thank you! [arigato: gozaimas] This is a polite way of saying "thank you". While traveling in Japan, this is probably the most basic "thank you" phrase you'll be using.
“Ohayou gozaimasu” is the full, formal greeting. If you're speaking to friends, you might wish to shorten it to “ohayou” (kanji: お早う, hiragana: おはよう).
#1: Good Morning = Ohayō おはよう / Ohayō Gozaimasu おはようございます
The first way to say good morning is ohayō おはよう (pronounced a lot like the state Ohio). This is the casual form, which you'd mainly use with close friends and family members. The second way to say good morning in Japanese is ohayō gozaimasu おはようございます.
Use "Ohayou" from waking to about 12:00, "Konnichiwa" until dusk, "Konbanwa" throughout the evening, and "Oyasumi" only before bed or sleeping.
SUMIMASEN has many different meanings: "I'm sorry", "thank you" and to get someone's attention. It might be confusing at first, but once you've used it for a while, it'll become second nature. When Japanese people say SUMIMASEN, they often bow in appreciation or apology. The angle reflects the depth of the emotion.
どうも -pronounced “Dou-mo” is a phrase you'd come across when you eating in at an Izakaya or a restaurant. Domo is equivalent to the English version of “very much” and “very”. In many situations, the word is used to express appreciation.