Greetings / あいさつ

13/09/2021

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You’ve heard them a hundred times in anime — a loud おはよう shouted across the classroom, a quiet いただきます before dinner, a dramatic さようなら in the rain. Greetings are everywhere in Japanese, and learning just a handful is the fastest way to start sounding natural.

This guide covers the everyday greetings you’ll actually use: meeting someone, saying goodbye, thanking people, apologizing, and the phrases said at home and around the table.

Japanese greetings often change depending on the situation, politeness level, and relationship between speakers.

Contents

Everyday Japanese Greetings: Hello and Goodbye

First, let’s cover the greetings you’ll use most — from meeting someone and saying hello to wishing someone good night and saying goodbye.

I speak casually.

I use polite expressions.

はじめまして。

はじめまして。

はじめまして is used when meeting someone for the first time. Both casual and polite speakers can use this expression.

よろしく。

よろしくおねがいします。

またね。

さようなら。

またね is casual and friendly. さようなら sounds more formal and can sometimes feel like a longer goodbye.

おはよう。

おはようございます。

こんにちは。

こんにちは。

こんにちは is usually used during the day. It is safe and polite enough for most situations.

こんばんは。

こんばんは。

おやすみ。

おやすみなさい。

おはよう and おやすみ are casual. Adding ございます or なさい (おはようございます / おやすみなさい) makes them polite.

Yukitty

Quick tip: notice that the polite version is often just the casual one plus ございます or おねがいします. Get comfortable with the casual forms first, then “level them up” to polite! ⬆️

How to Say Thank You in Japanese

Next, let’s look at expressions for gratitude. Japanese has both casual and polite ways to say thank you.

ありがとう。

どういたしまして。

どうもありがとうございます。

いえいえ。

ありがとう is casual. ありがとうございます and どうもありがとうございます are more polite.

How to Apologize in Japanese

Japanese has several apology expressions. Some are casual, while others are more formal or businesslike.

ごめん。

いいよ。

もうしわけありません。

すみません。

すみません has several meanings. It can mean “Excuse me,” “I’m sorry,” or even “Thank you,” depending on the situation. You can use it to call a clerk, get someone’s attention, apologize, or show appreciation.

Yukitty

If you only memorize one word from this section, make it すみません. You’ll hear it constantly in anime — characters use it to apologize, get someone’s attention, and even say thanks. It’s the ultimate multitool! 🛠️

Other Useful Japanese Greetings

The following expressions are very common in daily Japanese life, especially at home or before and after meals.

いただきます。

どうぞめしあがれ。

いただきます is said before eating. It expresses appreciation for the food, the people who prepared it, and everything involved in the meal.

Yukitty

You’ll catch いただきます in almost every anime mealtime scene — hands together, a quick いただきます, then dig in! 🍱

ごちそうさまでした。

おそまつさまでした。

ごちそうさまでした is said after eating. It is a polite way to show appreciation for the meal.

おそまつさまでした is a uniquely Japanese expression. Literally, it means something like “I’m sorry the meal was so poor.” Of course, the speaker does not really mean that — it is a humble expression used by the person who prepared or served the food.

いってきます。

いってらっしゃい。

いってきます is said by the person leaving home or another familiar place. いってらっしゃい is said by the person seeing them off.

ただいま。

おかえりなさい。

ただいま is said by the person returning home. おかえりなさい is said by the person welcoming them back.

Summary

Japanese greetings are closely connected to situation, politeness, and relationships. Some greetings have simple English translations, but others, such as よろしくおねがいします, いただきます, and ごちそうさまでした, carry cultural meanings that do not translate perfectly into English.

Start by memorizing the most common greetings, then gradually learn when and how native speakers use them.

If you are a beginner, the following expressions are especially useful:

はじめまして。(Hajimemashite.) = Nice to meet you.
よろしくおねがいします。(Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) = Nice to meet you. / Thank you in advance.
おはようございます。(Ohayou gozaimasu.) = Good morning.
こんにちは。(Konnichiwa.) = Hello. / Good afternoon.
ありがとうございます。(Arigatou gozaimasu.) = Thank you.
すみません。(Sumimasen.) = Excuse me. / I’m sorry.
いただきます。(Itadakimasu.) = Thank you for the food.
ごちそうさまでした。(Gochisousama deshita.) = Thank you for the meal.

Yukitty

Try using one new greeting today — even a simple おはよう counts! The more you say them out loud, the faster they’ll stick. がんばって！ 💪