Expressing Gratitude in Japanese

Expressing Gratitude

Kansha 感謝

There are several ways to say "thank you", from informal to very polite. They are:

Arigatö ありがとう

Domo arigato どうもありがとう

Arigatogozaimasu ありがとうございます, and

Domo arigato gozaimasu どうもありがとうございます。

You can also use the past tense gozaimashita. As a general rule, when the action is happening or will happen, say Arigato gozaimasu, for example, when you are being handed a present. When the action is completed, say Arigato gozaimashita, for example, when you have received a present in the mail and are thanking the sender by phone. An appropriate response is Do itashimashite どういたしまして You're welcome, or Kochira koso こちらこそ On the contrary, let me thank you.

Sumimasen すみません Thank you

This is an apology but is often used to thank someone when you've put

them to some trouble. Similar expressions include: O-tesü o kakemashita お手数を掛けました and ご迷惑をかけました Go-meiwaku o kakemashita. In response, say Do itashimashite どう致しまして You're welcome, or Okamai naku No worries.

O-sewa ni naramashita お世話になりました。I'm obliged to you

This is the best way to thank someone who has spent time helping

you. When you want to thank someone who has shown you around, say something like:

• O-sewa ni narimashita. Go-annai itadaite, yokatta desu.

お世話になりました。ご案内いただいて、よかったです。

Thank you very much for all your kindness. It was great having you take us around.

Tasukarimashita

助かりました

You've been a great help

If someone has helped you with a translation, you can thank them like

this:

O-kage-sama de shimekiri ni ma-ni-atte, tasukarimashita.

おかげさまで締め切りに間に合って、助かりました。

Thanks to you I made the deadline. You were a great help.

Go-kuro-sama ご苦労様 Thank you for your help

This is a traditional phrase expressing appreciation to someone who has

finished working. You can use it to thank someone who's done a job or

service for you. It may be inappropriate when addressing superiors and

you might be better off using O-tsukare-sama instead.

O-tsukare-sama お疲れ様 Thank you for your help work

Originating in the entertainment world this is now interchangeable with Go-kuro-sama, and perhaps more widely used. When a colleague leaves the office to go home and says O-saki ni t1, respond with O-tsukare-sama.

Kyoshuku desu 恐縮です Osoreiremasu 恐れ入れます。

I am very grateful

The literal meaning of these phrases is "I shrink with fear (in the face of your great kindness)". If someone has unexpectedly done something nice to you, you can offer thanks by saying:

• Sorewa sorewa, domo, kyoshuku desu.

それはそれはどうも。恐縮です。

This really is too much. Thank you.

Itadakimasu

いただきます

Thank you (lit. I receive)

Everyone says this before starting a meal or snack. Itadakimasu is the

humble form of the verb morau, to receive, and is used extensively in

respect language.

Gochiső-sama deshita ごちそうさまでした

Thank you (lit. It was a feast)

This is how you say "thank you" when finishing a meal or snack.

Being Introduced and Saying Goodbye in Japanese

Being Introduced

Shokai 紹介

When meeting someone for the first time, most people use the following set expression:

Hajimemashite. Dozo yoroshiku o-negai Shimasu.

はじめまして。どうぞよろしくお願いします。

How do you do? Pleased to meet you.

This expression points out that it is a first-time meeting and then asks for the other person's favorable consideration. The standard reply is:

• kochira koso. Dozo yoroshiku.

こちらこそ。どうぞよろしく。

The pleasure's mine. Glad to meet you.

Saying Goodbye

wakareru 別れる 

Sayonara さようなら Goodbye (lit. If it must be so)

Unfortunately, this famous and romantic farewell is not used so much.

Although schoolchildren are taught to say Sayonara to their teachers

at the end of the school day, adults don't usually use it in ordinary situations. Sayonara is mostly used between friends when they are parting for a long time; for example, when they are seeing someone off who is moving away.

Shitsurei shimashita 失礼しました Goodbye (lit. I have imposed)

This polite phrase is used in business situations, at social gatherings, or when leaving someone's home.

Mata ne! またね Ja ne! じゃね See you! Bye!

This is how friends say goodbye. Variations include Mata ashita また明日

See you tomorrow; Mata raishủ また来週 See you next week; and

じゃーまた Ja mata.

Baibai バイバイ Bye-bye

Used by young people, especially children.

Gochiső-sama deshita ごちそうさまでした

Thank you. It was delicious

You say this as soon as you've finished eating but it's often repeated when saying goodbye to someone who has treated you to a meal (or even to just a cup of tea). You can also say it to restaurant staff when leaving the premises.

O-yasumi-nasai

おやすみなさい

Good night

Frequently used also on the phone, this is how friends and family say

good night. It's not used, however, when you leave work; it would imply

that those remaining at the office would sleep there until morning! Use

O-saki ni instead.

0-saki ni お先に

Goodbye (lit. Excuse me for going ahead of you)

This expression (the more polite form is 0-saki ni shitsurei shimasu t

先に失礼します) is used when leaving a group of friends or colleagues.

The appropriate response in work situations would be O-tsukare-sama

deshita En TltGoodbye. Thank you for your help.

Itte kimasu 行ってきます

Goodbye. I'm off! (lit. I'll go and come back)

This phrase, whose more polite form is Itte mairimasu is used when leaving home. It's also used during working hours when people temporarily leave their offices. The appropriate response by those remaining would be Itte' rasshai (lit. Go and come back).

O-daiji ni お大事に Take care of your health

This friendly phrase is used when taking leave of the elderly or of someone who is sick or injured.

Go-kigen yo ごきげんよう Farewell

This can sound either refined or affected depending on the circumstances, Although people rarely say this, it's occasionally still

heard at the end of television shows.

Ja, ki o tsukete

じゃ、気をつけて

Take care

This casual farewell phrase is used between friends. More polite, but still friendly, equivalents are O-ki o tsukete Dalt t and O-genki de

お元気で、

Commenting on the Weather Japanese

Commenting on the Weather

kisetsu no aisatsu 季節の挨拶

To get the conversation going, you can always say something about the

weather. Here's a selection that should get you through most days.

• Samui desu ne 寒いですね。 

 It's cold, isn't it?

Futte kimashita ne降ってきましたね。

It's started to rain, hasn't it?

• Haremashita ne ulteta.

It's cleared up, hasn't it?

Uttoshii tenki desu ne うっとうしい天気ですね。

It's dreary weather, isn't it?

• Atatakaku narimashita ne 暖かくなりましたね。

It's really warming up, isn't it?

• lio-tenki desu ne 良いお天気ですね。

It's beautiful weather, isn't it?

• Atsukute, taihen desu ne 暑くてたいへんですね。

It's awfully hot, isn't it?

Mushi-atsui desu ne蒸し暑いですね。

It's hot and humid, isn't it?

• ljó kisho desu ne 異常気象ですね。

This is abnormal weather, isn't it?

Japanese Greetings with easy explanation

Greeting People aisatsu 

Ohayo gozaimasu お早うございます Good Morning

"It's early" is the literal meaning and it was originally used to thank people coming into work. It's still used in this sense in the entertainment

industry when someone starting work in the afternoon will be greeted

like this. Friends drop the gozaimasu.

Konnichi wa こんにちは Good afternoon or Hello

Used from late morning to late afternoon but not as much as Hello or

Ohayo gozaimasu. It's not usually said to colleagues or family mem-

bers. When you feel you should be polite, say Shitsurei shimasu (be-

low) instead.

Konban wa こんばんは Good Evening

This too is somewhat more limited in its use. If you're living with a Japa-

nese family, it might make you sound standoffish, as if you don't want to

be treated like a member of the family.

Shitsurei shimasu/O-jama shimasu

失礼します / お邪魔します

Excuse me (lit. I am about to disturb you)

Either of these two polite expressions would be appropriate when enter-

ing or leaving someone's home or office.

Tadaima ただいま I'm home!

The response by those in the house is Okaeri-nasai buta tu Said by a waiter in a restaurant, tadaima means "right away".

Follow-up Expressions

Quickly think back to the last time you met the person and use one of

these phrases. If you met them recently you could simply say:

• Konaida wa domo.

こないだはどうも。

Thank you for the other day.

Or more politely

Senjitsu wa domo arigato gozaimashita.

先日はどうもありがとうございました。

Thank you very much for the other day.

If you went to their house or they treated you to a meal, be sure to

say,

• Konaida wa domo gochisó-sama deshita.

こないだはどうもごちそうさまでした。

Thank you for the meal drinks the other day.

The standard reply to either of the above phrases is:

• Kochira koso, arigato gozaimashita.

こちらこそ、ありがとうございました。

On the contrary, let me thank you.

If you haven't seen the person for a while you would say:

• Shibaraku.

しばらく。

It's been a long time.

Or more politely,

• O-hisashiburi desu / Shibaraku-buri desu ne.

お久しぶりです しばらくぶりですね。

It's been a long time.

A common response would be:

• Go-busata shite imasu.

ご無沙汰しています。

Sorry not to have been in touch.

If you meet someone important to you-for example, if you meet your

child's teacher or you meet a client, your follow-up words would be:

Itsumoo-sewa ni natte imasu.

いつもお世話になっています。

I am continually in your favor.

Or you could follow up the greeting with an enquiry into their health

or their business.

• Genki? / O-genki desu ka? / O-kawari nai desu ka?

元気? / お元気ですか? / お変わりないですか?

You well? / Are you well? / No change? (in your health)

O-isogashii desu ka? / Keiki wa do desu ka?

お忙しいですか? / 景気はどうですか?

Are you busy? / How's business?

You would respond with one of these:

• Ma-mă desu ne./ Hai, o-kagesama de.

まあまあですね。はい、おかげさまで。

Not bad. / Fine, thank you (lit. thanks to you).

Osaka businessmen greet each other with Mökarimakka? 

(lit. Making money?). The standard reply is bochi-bochi or botsu-botsu, both meaning "a bit at a time".

Domo/Domo domo

どうも / どうもどうも

Thanks

This is an all-encompassing expression of thanks and apology widely

used, especially by men. It can be combined with almost any of the other. Set expressions in this chapter, e.g. Dömo, konnichi wa 3t chic

ちは and Domo, o-hisashiburi どうも、お久しぶり.