FOREIGN LANGUAGE JAPANESE

CHAPTER 6 – JAPANESE BASIC GREETINGS

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Execute basic and common Chinese Greetings

 Demonstrate how to respond on expressions and greetings

INTRODUCTION

Learning the basic greetings in Japanese language can help you become friends with the locals in
the country. While 日本語 or Nihongo is only spoken in Japan, you might be surprised to know that
millions from across the world are interested in mastering this Asian language. In fact, recent
studies show that the number of institutions for this language is rising, making it part of the 25 most
spoken languages in the world! So start learning the casual and formal greetings today in this post.

There is no denying that Japanese is a language that is pretty difficult to learn, especially for
Westerners. One of the main reasons behind that is because it has three writing systems that are
sometimes used simultaneously in written documents. This includes Hiragana ( 平仮名) for phonetic
spelling, Katakana (カタカナ) for foreign words, and Kanji (漢字) which represents whole words adapted
from Chinese characters. If this is your first-time getting lessons in Japanese, I recommend that
you start by familiarizing the basic Japanese greetings to help you grasp the pronunciation and the
letters used.

THREE TYPES OF BOWS “PARTS OF GREETINGS”

If the French people like giving cheek kisses to greet someone, the Japanese do this by bowing at
a certain angle and duration. And when we say bowing, we do not mean a simple nod! The
Japanese culture reflects that the locals do the ojigi ( お 辞 儀 ) because it shows respect and
willingness to lower yourself in a vulnerable position in front of the other person. Please note that
you are also expected to do this even if you are a foreigner just traveling to the country.

There are three types of bows that you can do while saying your Japanese greetings, and this
includes:

1. Eshaku ( 会 釈 ) - 15 degrees of bow used for informal interactions with strangers or close
friends.
2. Keirei ( 敬 礼 ) - 30 degrees of bow mainly used for business situations and when meeting
people for the first time. This is also perfect to use when saying hello to your bosses or
when you want to welcome customers.
3. Saikeirei (最敬礼) - a 45-degree type of bow used for saying sorry or showing guilt. This can
also be used for greeting high-ranking government officials.

10 WAYS TO SAY HELLO IN JAPANESE

1. Konnichiwa - Whenever we think about the best Japanese word to say hello, most
of us always think of the konnichiwa. However, this is actually not used when you
are greeting a friend or someone close to you. This is considered a formal greeting
used in the office and is more appropriate during the afternoon.
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2. Osu! - In English, people can call you "bro..." but in Japanese, Osu is the word that
is somewhat the same as that. If you are a guy who is looking for a trendier way of
greeting your close brothers, then osu is the right word to use. This does not have a
direct translation related to any greeting, but the locals know this to be informal and
used only by the teens or in anime.

3. Ogenki desu ka? - Sometimes, saying hello does not really mean that you translate
the word directly in Japanese. For example, if you want to strike a conversation, you
can simply ask o genki desu ka, which means "how are you?" in English. The
common response for this is げんきです or genki desu which means "I am fine."

4. Ya / Yo - There are simple greetings that are usually used informally between
friends and some close coworkers. This somehow is the same with the basic Oi in
Portuguese or the Alo in Vietnamese. These can also be used when speaking with
strangers who are younger than you.

5. Ohayōgozaimasu - If you want to say good morning to another person, you can
simply say the ohayōgozaimasu or ohayō to sound more native. This is a simple
way to greet someone and can be used in both formal and informal situations,
making it a safe word to learn. Please note that some locals may sometimes have
variations in how they pronounce this word, but you do not have to worry since the
meaning stays the same.

6. Konbanwa - If you want to say hello or greet someone good evening, you can use
this polite word to almost anyone as this is considered the most common form. If
you are going to break down its literal meaning, the characters can be directly
translated to "this evening."

7. Oyasuminasai - If you want to greet someone with a parting phrase, then the most
common Japanese expression to use is Oyasuminasai which means "go take a
rest."

8. Yahho! - This is greeting is usually used between kids, and you probably have
heard of this on animes where the characters try to get attention. This is like the
basic Yahoo! in English and is seen by the locals as a bit feminine.

9. Choushi wa dōdesu ka - This is also a question that can be used as a greeting

and a conversation starter. This can be directly translated to "how is it going?" and
is safe to be used for both formal and informal situations.

10. Moshi moshi - Among all the common Japanese greetings in this list, the
best one you can use for greeting when answer the phone is moshi moshi.
However, please note that this expression is better to use when you know that the
one calling you is a family member, relative, or close friend.

7 JAPANESE GREETINGS AT HOME

If you plan to join a homestay program where you will share a home with a Japanese family, it
would be wise to learn all the typical phrases and greetings that you might hear from the locals.
Whether they are at work or home, the Japanese culture puts a premium on respect and etiquette,
and this is the reason why you need to at least familiarize yourself with the ones listed below.
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If ever you get invited to a Japanese home, please do remember that you should start greeting the
family with the basic greetings like こんにちは (Konnichiwa) accompanied by a 30-degree angle bow,
especially if you are speaking with the older people. After saying that, you must also say お邪魔します
(Ojamashimasu), which is a formal greeting that means "excuse me for disturbing." Also, greet the
host directly and give him or her the 手 土 産 (Temiyage) or a small gift which is important in their
culture as it shows your thankfulness for being invited. Any gift will do, but the most common form
is food, tea, or anything that can be consumed.

Pronunciation
Japanese Meaning When to use
guide

I'll go now and will

いってきます Ittekimasu When leaving the house
be back

Please go and Response when someone leaves

いってらっしゃい Itterasshai
come back the house

ただいま Tadaima I am home When you are back home

Tadaima I am home
ただいまもどりました When you are back home
modorimashita (formal)

Response when someone is

おかえりなさい Okaerinasai Welcome back
back home

To say that you are thankful for

いただきます Itadakimasu I will eat now
the food

Gochisōsama
ごちそうさまでした I enjoyed the meal After finishing a meal
deshita

4 FORMAL GREETINGS IN JAPANESE FOR THE WORKPLACE

As you probably noticed, Japanese people are keen on exchanging gifts. Therefore, if you are
moving to Japan to start a new role in a company or public office, it would be wise to bring お土産
(Omiyage) from your home country. An Omiyage is basically a souvenir. Even if you are traveling
to another part of Japan, the locals have a burning desire to bring gifts to their family, friends,
classmates (if you are a student), and colleagues at work. The Omiyage are usually edible gifts too
that are wrapped individually and are given face to face.
As for the working culture, the Japanese are known in the world to be some of the most
hardworking people in the office. Therefore, there are times wherein they sometimes have to work
overtime, and if you are planning to go home ahead of them, do note the greetings and polite
Japanese phrases you can use.

Pronunciation
Japanese Meaning When to use
guide
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Yoroshiku onegai Meeting someone for the first

よろしくおねがいします Nice to meet you
shimasu time.

Osaki ni shitsurei When you are leaving ahead of

おさきにしつれいします I'm going home
shimasu your coworkers

This is a compliment that

Otsukaresama
おつかれさまでした You are tired means someone appreciates
deshita
hard work.

Osewa ni Thank you very Thanking colleagues for their

お世話になります
narimasu much help and kindness

BASIC GOODBYE GREETINGS

If you have watched a good number of animes and Japanese films, then you know that the most
common poetic form of goodbye is さようなら or Sayounara. While the media rampantly use this, it
actually is not the best way to say goodbye like a native speaker. In fact, an incorrect tone can
even lead to awkwardness since most Japanese believe that this is like saying goodbye forever. If
you want to learn the more acceptable versions for saying this greeting, read our translations
below.

Japanese Pronunciation guide Meaning

またね Mata ne See you later

また明日 Mata ashita See you tomorrow

また来週 Mata raishū See you next week

バイバイ Baibai Bye-bye

ごきげんよう Gokigenyō Farewell

さらばだ Saraba da Goodbye (poetic)

OTHER BASIC GREETINGS

Below are some examples of basic Japanese greetings and phrases using hiragana when I first
learned Japanese:
1. おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu)
Meaning: Good morning
2. こんにちは (konnichiwa)
Meaning: Hello / Good afternoon
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3. こんばんは (konbanwa)
Meaning: Good evening
4. さようなら (sayounara)
Meaning: Good bye (This is only used if you are leaving for a long time, such as overseas travel)
5. ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu)
Meaning: Thank you
6. どういたしまして (dou itashimashite)
Meaning: You are welcome / Don't mention it / Not at all
7. すみません (sumimasen)
Meaning: I am sorry / Excuse me
8. ごめんなさい (gomen nasai)
Meaning: I am sorry
9. おやすみなさい (o yasumi nasai)
Meaning: Good night
10. おめでとうございます (omedetou gozaimasu)
Meaning: Congratulations
11. おげんきですか (o genki desu ka)
Meaning: How are you?
12. はい、おかげさまでげんきです (hai, okagesamade genki desu)
Meaning: Yes, due to your kind thoughts, I am very good
13. おなまえは (o namae wa)
Meaning: What is your name?
14. ジョンともうします (Jon to moushimasu)
Meaning: My name is John
15. いただきます (itadakimasu)
Meaning: You say this to express your gratitude before meals
16. ごちそうさまでした (gochisou sama deshita)
Meaning: You say this to express your gratitude after meals
17. おきをつけて (o ki wo tsukete)
Meaning: Please be careful
18. おだいじに (o daiji ni)
Meaning: Take care of your body (say this to friend who is sick)
19. またあした (mata ashita)
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Meaning: See you tomorrow

20. ではまた (dewa mata)
Meaning: See you

ACTIVITY #6
Direction: Study the following Nihongo Basic Greetings and pronounce the words
correctly or produce the proper sound of each word. Pronounce also the English
translation of the given verbs. Repeat your basic greetings pronunciation twice (2x).

English Romaji
Good Morning Ohayou Gozaimasu
Thank You Arigatou Gozaimasu
Excuse Me Gomen Nasai
Congratulations Omedetou Gozaimasu
How are you? Ogenki Desu
See you tomorrow Mata Ashita
See you Dewa Mata
Goodbye Sayounara
See you later Mata ne
I am home Tadaima