Greeting Everyone: Your First Step in Daily Japanese

You’ve learned the essential politeness phrases – fantastic! Now, let’s build on that foundation with the basic greetings you’ll use every single day when living in Japan. Knowing how and when to use greetings like “Good morning,” “Hello,” and “Good evening” is crucial for smooth, friendly interactions. Let’s dive into the core greetings you need to know for your move!

1. Ohayou Gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good Morning

This is how you’ll start your day interacting with others.

• Meaning: Good morning (Polite form)
• Pronunciation: Oh-hah-yoh Go-zah-ee-mahs
• When to Use: Generally used from when you wake up until about 10:00 or 11:00 AM. It’s the standard polite greeting for mornings, suitable for neighbours, shop staff, colleagues, and anyone you encounter.
• Casual Form: Among close friends, family, or sometimes close colleagues, you’ll hear and can use the shorter “Ohayou!” (おはよう！). Stick with the full “Gozaimasu” version in most other situations initially.

2. Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello / Good Afternoon!

This is perhaps the most well-known Japanese greeting internationally.

• Meaning: Hello / Good day / Good afternoon
• Pronunciation: Kon-nee-chee-wah
• When to Use: Think of this as your go-to daytime greeting, typically used from around 11:00 AM until the evening starts to set in (around 5:00 or 6:00 PM). It’s versatile – use it when meeting people, passing neighbours, or even sometimes when entering smaller shops.

3. Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good Evening!

As day turns to night, your greeting changes.

• Meaning: Good evening
• Pronunciation: Kon-bahn-wah
• When to Use: Once it gets dark, usually after 5:00 or 6:00 PM, switch from Konnichiwa to Konbanwa. This is the standard polite greeting for evening encounters.

Bonus: Saying Goodbye – Beyond “Sayonara”

While many learn “Sayonara” (さようなら), it can sometimes feel quite final, like you won’t see the person for a long time. In everyday situations, you’ll more commonly hear:

• Ja mata! (じゃあまた！) or Mata ne! (またね！): Meaning “See you later!” or “See ya!”. Used casually with friends and peers.
• Shitsurei shimasu (失礼します): Meaning “Excuse me (for leaving)”. This is more appropriate for leaving work, ending a formal meeting, or excusing yourself from a situation politely.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Using these time-appropriate greetings shows awareness and respect, and it’s a simple way to make connections. Don’t worry about perfection at first – the effort is always appreciated! Try using them when you can.

What greeting do you find most useful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Want to master politeness too? Check out our post on [Politeness Phrases]. Explore more tips in our [Learn Japanese Category]category.

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