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.