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
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