Understanding how to greet others and introduce yourself in Japanese is crucial for building relationships and navigating social situations. Greetings set the tone for conversations, while self-introductions help you make a positive first impression. In this guide, we’ll cover a variety of common Japanese greetings, along with useful phrases for self-introduction, including tips on etiquette and cultural nuances. Let’s dive into the art of communication in Japanese!
Greetings・あいさつ (aisatsu)
Let’s start with some basic Japanese greetings! Greetings are an essential part of everyday conversation in Japan and a great first step in your language journey.
| Good morning | おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu |
| Hello, Good afternoon | こんにちは | konnichiwa |
| Good evening | こんばんは | konbanwa |
| Good night | おやすみなさい | oyasumi nasai |
| Goodbye | さようなら | sayōnara |
| Thank you | ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu |
| You’re welcome・No problem | どういたしまして・いえいえ | dōitashi mashite・ieie |
| How are you? | げんきですか | genki desuka |
| I am fine | げんきです | genki desu |
| Thanks for the food (before) | いただきます | itadakimasu |
| Thanks for the food (after) | ごちそうさまでした | gochisōsama deshita |
| Sorry・Excuse me | すみません | sumimasen |
| Yes | はい | hai |
| No | いいえ | iie |
Self-introduction・自己紹介 (jikoshōkai)
| Nice to meet you (before) | はじめまして | hajimemashite |
| I’m (name) | (name) です | (name) desu |
| I’m (nationality) | (country) じんです | (country) jin desu |
| I came from _____ | (country) からきました | (country) kara kimashita |
| I live in _____ | (country/city) にすんでいます | (country/city) ni sundeimasu |
| I am (occupation) | (occupation) です | (occupation) desu |
| It’s great to meet you | よろしくおねがいします | yoroshiku onegaishimasu |
- 会社員（かいしゃいん）kaishain – office worker
- エンジニア enjiniya – engineer
- 医者（いしゃ）isha – doctor
- 銀行員（ぎんこういん）ginkouin – bank employee
- マネージャー（まねーじゃー）manejaa – manager
- 学生（がくせい）gakusei – student
Question・質問 (shitsumon)
| What’s your name? | （お）なまえはなんですか | (o) namae wa nan desuka |
| Where are you from? | しゅっしんはどこですか | shusshin wa doko desuka |
| Where do you live? | どこにすんでいますか | doko ni sundeimasuka |
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