Japanese word of the day › By topic

Polite Japanese: greetings, keigo and meeting people

13 Japanese words and phrases, each with its meaning, 12 with a real sentence that uses it. Each one has its own page with its reading and where to read it in a story.

1. こんばんは konbanwa

   good evening

   こんばんは、今お帰りですか。

   konbanwa, kon'okaeri desu ka.

   Good evening, are you just heading home?

2. ただいま tadaima

   I'm home

   ただいま、疲れたよ。

   tadaima, tsukareta yo.

   I'm home, I'm tired.

3. ではまた dewa mata

   well, see you

4. おはようございます ohayou gozaimasu

   good morning (polite)

   おはようございます、いいお天気ですね。

   ohayou gozaimasu, ii otenki desu ne.

   Good morning, lovely weather, isn't it?

5. こんにちは konnichiwa

   hello / good afternoon

   「こんにちは、赤ずきんちゃん。どこへ行くのかい？」

   ‘konnichiwa, akazukin chan. doko e iku no kai?’

   "Good day, Little Red Riding Hood. Whither goest thou?"

6. お元気ですか ogenki desu ka

   how are you?

   お元気ですか。ご家族の皆さんは？

   ogenki desu ka. gokazoku no minasan wa?

   How are you? And all your family?

7. 初めまして hajimemashite

   How do you do? / Nice to meet you.

   初めまして。本日はお会いできて大変光栄です。

   hajime mashite. honjitsu wa oai dekite taihenkouei desu.

   How do you do? I am truly honored to meet you today.

8. よろしくお願いいたします yoroshiku onegai itashimasu

   I look forward to working with you / Please treat me favorably.

   これからもどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

   korekara mo douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

   I look forward to continuing to work with you.

9. お世話になっております osewa ni natte orimasu

   Thank you for your ongoing support / I am in your care.

   いつもお世話になっております。本日はよろしくお願いいたします。

   itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu. honjitsu wa yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

   Thank you for your ongoing support. I look forward to working with you today.

10. おっしゃる ossharu

    to say / to state (respectful)

    クライアントがおっしゃるには、来週の打ち合わせをオンラインに変更したいとのことです。

    kuraianto ga ossharu ni wa, raishuu no uchiawase o onrain ni henkou shitai to no koto desu.

    According to what the client said, they would like to change next week's meeting to an online session.

11. なさる nasaru

    to do (respectful)

    社長、明日のセミナーの資料の確認はどうなさいますか？

    shachou, ashita no seminaa no shiryou no kakunin wa dou nasaimasu ka?

    President, what will you do about reviewing the materials for tomorrow's seminar?

12. くださる kudasaru

    to give / to bestow (respectful)

    先輩がわざわざ私の仕事を手伝ってくださいました。

    senpai ga wazawaza watashi no shigoto o tetsudatte kudasaimashita.

    My senior went out of their way to help me with my work.

13. いらっしゃる irassharu

    to go / to come / to be (respectful)

    佐藤部長は、ただいま別の会議室にいらっしゃいます。

    satoubuchou wa, tada imabetsu no kaigishitsu ni irasshaimasu.

    Director Sato is currently in a different meeting room.