5 Basic Japanese Greetings
1. Hajimemashite
Kanji: 始めまして
Hiragana: はじめまして
This means “How do you do?” or “Nice to meet you.”
Use it when you’re meeting someone for the first time.
Hajimemashite is usually the first step to introducing yourself in Japanese.
In this case, you’re want to start a new relationship with someone. It could be a potential friend, colleague, or acquaintance.
2. Konnichiwa
Hiragana: こんにちは
Kanji: 今日は
This is probably the most popular Japanese greeting.
This is the Japanese greeting for “good day” or “hello”.
3. Ohayou gozaimasu
Kanji: お早うございます
Hiragana: おはようございます
This is how you would say “good morning” in Japanese.
If you’re speaking to friends (insider/inferior), you can shorten it to “ohayou”.
Kanji: お早う
Hiragana: おはよう
4. Konbanwa
Kanji: 今晩は
Hiragana: こんばんは
This means “good evening”.
You can also use this to say hello at night.
5. Tadaima
Kanji: 只今; 唯今
Hiragana: ただいま
It literally means, “I’ve returned.” It can also be translated as “I’m home.”