There isn’t a single, all-purpose “hi” in Japanese. What you say changes with time of day (おはよう / おはようございます, こんにちは, こんばんは), relationship and setting (おつかれさまです at work, 失礼します when entering an office, お邪魔します when stepping into someone’s home), and situation (もしもし on the phone, はじめまして when meeting for the first time).
In this guide, you’ll master 20 common greetings—from polite to casual—each with audio and short example lines. We’ll explain the nuance (who uses it, when it fits, what sounds too casual) so you can choose confidently, whether you’re texting a friend, walking into a meeting, or picking up the phone.
1. Standard Everyday Greetings
1-1 おはよう (Ohayō) — Good morning (casual)
Use this with family, friends, and close co-workers. It’s warm and friendly, perfect for breakfast time or when you first see someone in the morning.
Example
A：おはよう、よく眠れた？
Ohayō, yoku nemureta? — Morning! Did you sleep well?
B：おはよう！ばっちり。
Ohayō! Bacchiri. — Morning! Slept great.
Note: In some teams (e.g., service/creative industries), people say おはよう the first time they meet that day—even if it’s later. When in doubt at work, use the polite form below.
1-2 おはようございます (Ohayō gozaimasu) — Polite good morning
Safe for school, the office, and anyone you want to respect (teachers, seniors, clients). It’s the standard morning greeting in public.
Example
A：おはようございます、田中さん。
Ohayō gozaimasu, Tanaka-san. — Good morning, Mr. Tanaka.
B：おはようございます。
Ohayō gozaimasu. — Good morning.
1-3 こんにちは (Konnichiwa) — Standard “hello” / good afternoon
Use from late morning through the afternoon with strangers, neighbors, shop staff—almost anywhere. Neutral and safe.
Examples
- こんにちは、良い天気ですね。
Konnichiwa, ii tenki desu ne. — Hello—nice weather, isn’t it? - こんにちは。予約したスミスです。
Konnichiwa. Yoyaku shita Sumisu desu. — Hello. I have a reservation; I’m Smith.
Spelling tip: It’s written with は (こんにちは) but pronounced wa.
1-4 こんばんは (Konbanwa) — Good evening
Use after sunset when greeting someone politely. Works at restaurants, hotels, classes, or evening events.
Examples
- こんばんは。今日は涼しいですね。
Konbanwa. Kyō wa suzushi desune. — Good evening. It’s cool today, isn’t it? - こんばんは。四人ですが、空いてますか。
Konbanwa, yonin desu ga aite masu ka. — Good evening. We’re a party of four. Do you have any tables available?
2. Workplace & Daily Life Greetings
2-1 おつかれ (Otsukare) — “Good work” (casual)
A friendly, supportive greeting between peers—or from seniors to juniors—when you meet during the day or part ways after a task. It acknowledges effort, like “nice work” or “hey.” Avoid using おつかれ to your boss; use the polite form below.
Example
A：おつかれ！今日の会議、長かったね。
Otsukare! Kyō no kaigi, nagakatta ne. — Good job! That meeting was long, huh.
B：おつかれ。資料ありがと。
Otsukare. Shiryō arigato. — Thanks for your hard work. Thanks for the materials.
2-2 おつかれさまです (Otsukaresama desu) — polite workplace greeting
The standard office greeting—works as a hello when you see someone during the day and as a goodbye after work. Use おつかれさまでした (past) when the day or meeting is over. Common in internal emails/chats, too.
Examples
- （廊下で）おつかれさまです。
(Rōka de) Otsukaresama desu. — (in the hallway) Hello. - お先に失礼します。おつかれさまでした。
Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu. Otsukaresama deshita. — “I’ll head out now.” “Thanks for today.”
When unsure which version to use at work, おつかれさまです is the safest choice.
2-3 ご無沙汰しています (Gobusatashite imasu) — “It’s been a while” (formal)
A respectful way to reconnect after a gap—politer than ひさしぶり. Very common in business emails and phone calls; an even more formal variant is ご無沙汰しております.
Examples
- ご無沙汰しています。田中です。
Gobusatashite imasu. Tanaka desu. — It’s been a while; this is Tanaka. - ご無沙汰しております。近況をご報告いたします。
Gobusatashite orimasu. Kinkyō o go-hōkoku itashimasu. — It’s been a while. I’d like to share an update.
2-4 お邪魔します (Ojama shimasu) — when entering someone’s home
Said at the entrance to someone’s house (and sometimes small studios/offices) to mean “sorry to intrude.” When leaving, say お邪魔しました.
Mini-dialog
A（玄関で）お邪魔します。
(genkan de) Ojama shimasu. — (At the entrance) Excuse me for intruding.
B：どうぞお上がりください。
Dōzo o-agari kudasai. — Please come in.
2-5 失礼します (Shitsurei shimasu) — when entering an office/meeting
A set phrase for formal spaces. Use it when you knock and enter a meeting room or someone’s office, or when you leave before others (お先に失礼します). Polite form is 失礼いたします.
Examples
- （ノックして）失礼します。— どうぞ。
(Nokku shite) Shitsurei shimasu. — Dōzo.
“Excuse me” (as you enter). — “Come in.” - それでは、失礼いたします。
Sore dewa, shitsurei itashimasu. — I’ll take my leave now.
Which one when entering? Private home → お邪魔します. Office/meeting room → 失礼します.
3. Situational Greetings
3-1 ただいま (Tadaima) — “I’m home”
Said when you return home (or to a shared place you belong). It signals “I’m back”—and invites the set reply おかえり／おかえりなさい.
Mini-dialog
A：ただいま。
Tadaima. — I’m home.
B：おかえり！
Okaeri! — Welcome back!
You might also hear ただいま戻りました (tadaima modorimashita) in offices after stepping out; it’s a bit formal.
3-2 おかえり／おかえりなさい (Okaeri / Okaerinasai) — “Welcome back”
Reply to ただいま. おかえり is casual; おかえりなさい is polite. Use with family, roommates, or anyone arriving “back” to your place or group.
Examples
おかえり、今日は早かったね。
Okaeri, kyō wa hayakatta ne. — Welcome back; you’re early today.
おかえりなさい。夕飯はテーブルにあります。
Okaerinasai. Yūhan wa tēburu ni arimasu. — Welcome back. Dinner is on the table.
3-3 もしもし (Moshi moshi) — Hello on the phone
A classic phone-only greeting. Use when you start a call or when the line goes quiet to check if the other person can hear you. It’s not used face-to-face.
Examples
もしもし、田中ですが。
Moshi moshi, Tanaka desu ga. — Hello, this is Tanaka.
もしもし、聞こえますか。
Moshi moshi, kikoemasu ka? — Hello, can you hear me?
Business calls often skip moshi moshi and start with: お世話になっております。ABCの山本です。
O-sewa ni natte orimasu. ABC no Yamamoto desu. — Thank you for your support; this is Yamamoto from ABC.
3-4 ひさしぶり (Hisashiburi) — “Long time no see”
Use when you meet someone after a while. Politer: お久しぶりです.
Examples
ひさしぶり！元気だった？
Hisashiburi! Genki datta? — Long time! How have you been?
お久しぶりです。変わりありませんか。
O-hisashiburi desu. Kawari arimasen ka. — It’s been a while. How are things?
For formal/business emails after a long gap, prefer ご無沙汰しております (covered earlier).
3-5 ごきげんよう (Gokigen’yō) — Elegant, polite greeting
A refined, old-fashioned hello/parting used in formal settings, certain schools (especially traditional girls’ schools), and written greetings. It sounds classy, not everyday.
Examples
お先に失礼いたします。ごきげんよう。
Osaki ni shitsurei itashi masu. Gokigen’yō. — I’ll be taking my leave now. Good day.
3-6 はじめまして (Hajimemashite) — First-time greeting
Use only when meeting someone for the first time. It usually pairs with a name and よろしくお願いします.
Mini-self-intro
はじめまして。スミスです。よろしくお願いします。
Hajimemashite. Sumisu desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
— Nice to meet you. I’m Smith. Pleased to work with you / please treat me well.
4. Casual and Slang Greetings in Japanese
These often appear in anime. In real life, only use them with people you’re close to. Stick to the standard/polite greetings with teachers, bosses, or strangers.
4-1 やあ (yā) — Friendly “hi”
Light, upbeat. Fine with friends or in messages; uncommon with strangers.
Example
A：やあ、久しぶり！
Yā, hisashiburi! — Hey, long time!
B：元気？
Genki? — You good?
4-2 よぉ (yō) — Laid-back greeting (often male)
Casual “yo.” Common among male friends; also from senior to junior. From junior to senior it can sound rude.
Example
A：よぉ、今日も部活？
Yō, kyō mo bukatsu? — Yo, club practice again today?
B：うん、あとで合流しよう。
Un, atode gōryū shiyō. — Yeah, let’s meet up later.
Caution: Avoid with teachers, clients, or new acquaintances.
4-3 おす／押忍 (osu) — Rough, masculine “yo!”
Martial-arts greeting/acknowledgment (especially karate). Also “tough-guy” slang among close male friends. Sounds strong; not for everyday polite settings.
Examples
押忍！よろしくお願いします。
Osu! Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. — Osu! Pleased to train with you.
押忍、先輩！
Osu, senpai!
Use only in the right community (dojo/team) or with close buddies who expect that vibe.
4-4 やっほー (yahhō) — Cheerful, playful “hi!”
Bouncy and cute; common among close friends, often when calling out from a distance or texting.
Examples
やっほー！こっちだよー！
Yahhō! Kocchi da yō! — Heeey! Over here!
やっほー、今日ひま？
Yahhō, kyō hima? — Hey! Free today?
In Japan, hikers sometimes shout 「やっほー」 from a mountaintop to hear the やまびこ (echo).
4-5 おーい (ōi) — Calling out “hey!”
Not a greeting so much as getting someone’s attention, usually when they’re far away or not looking. Can sound abrupt at close range.
Examples
おーい、財布落としましたよ！
Ōi, saifu otoshimashita yo! — Hey, you dropped your wallet!
おーい、山田くーん！
Ōi, Yamada-kūn! — Hey, Yamada!
Avoid in shops/offices. Use すみません to call staff politely.
Quick guide: If you’re not 100% sure about the relationship and setting, don’t use these. Choose a standard/polite greeting instead (おはようございます／こんにちは／こんばんは or おつかれさまです).
Conclusion
Quick-Reference Summary Chart
| Greeting | Formality | When to Use | Quick Meaning |
| おはようございます | Polite | Morning | Good morning |
| こんにちは | Polite | Afternoon | Hello / Good afternoon |
| おつかれさまです | Polite | Workplace (anytime) | “Good work” / Hello |
| 失礼します | Polite | Entering an office/meeting | “Excuse me for intruding” |
| お邪魔します | Polite | Entering someone’s home | “Sorry to bother you” |
| もしもし | Neutral | On the phone only | Hello (on the phone) |
| 久しぶり | Casual | After not seeing someone | Long time no see |
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