List of Japanese Aisatsu (Japanese Common Greetings)

Let’s learn a lot of useful Japanese greetings (Aisatsu)

This is not a complete list, but it does contain some of the most frequently used and useful Japanese greetings. If you’re looking for useful traveling phrases instead, this is the only thing you need.

Common Greetings

おはよう ohayou: Good Morning (from sunrise to 10.00)
おはようございます ohayou gozaimasu: Good Morning (more polite)

こんにちは konnichiwa: Good Evening (from 10.00 to dark)
こんばんは konbanwa: Good Night (once dark)
あけましておめでとう akemashite omedetou: Happy new year (used only after 1st of Jan).
お誕生日おめでとう otanjoubi omedetou: Happy birthday
おめでとう omedetou: Congratulations
おめでとうございます omedetou gozaimasu: Congratulations (more polite)
もしもし moshi moshi: Hello (only used on phone)

Saying Goodbye

おやすみなさい oyasuminasai: Have a good night sleep / good night (when someone about to sleep)
さようなら sayounara: Goodbye (for a long time)
じゃまた ja mata: Okay, bye!
また後で mata ato de: See you next time
また明日 mata ashita: See you tomorrow

Introduction

初めまして hajimemashite: Nice to meet you (used in the first meeting)
よろしくお願いします yoroshiku onegaishimasu: Please take care of me (used at the end of a self-introduction)

*Learn more about these words*

Cultural Greeting at home

行ってきます ittekimasu: I’m leaving (used when going outside the house. Literally means “I will go and come back”)
行ってらしゃい itterasshai: Proper response for 行ってきます (ittekimasu), literally means “please go and come back”.

ただいま tadaima: Translated as “I’m back”.
おかえり okaeri: Translated as “Welcome home”. Proper response for ただいま (tadaima).
おかえりなさい okaerinasai: A more polite version of おかえり (okaeri).

いただきます itadakimasu: Thanks for the food! (Used when you’re about to eat).
ごちそうさまでした gochisousama deshita: What a well prepared dish! (Used after you eat as a compliment to the one who prepared it).

おじゃまします ojamashimasu:Sorry for intruding (Used when entering other people’s house)
気をつけてください ki o tsukete kudasai: Please be careful.
気をつけて! ki o tsukete!: Be careful!

Thank you & Sorry

ありがとう arigatou: Thank you
ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu: Thank you (more polite)
ごめんなさい gomennasai: I’m sorry (often used for someone equal or lower status)
ごめん gomen: Less polite version of ごめんなさい (gomennasai)
すみません sumimasen: Excuse me / Sorry (a polite word)
申し訳ありません moushiwake arimasen: I apologize (a formal apology used by worker when apologizing to guest. Literally means “I have no excuse”)
おまたせしました omataseshimashita: Thanks for waiting (used by worker to guest)

Work related and other useful phrases

どうぞゆっくりしてください douzo yukkuri shite kudasai: Please take your time.
おかげさまです okagesama desu: It all thanks to you. (common greeting used when you’re about to leave from work or after you finish some work with someone).

お先に osaki ni: This phrase is used as a goodbye greeting when you’re about to leave the office before someone else.
お願いします onegaishimasu : Please. *Learn more about this word*

頑張ってください ganbatte kudasai: Good luck! (used to give encouragement to people so they can do well on something)
頑張って ganbatte: Good luck! (less polite version).
お元気で ogenki de: Take care of your health
お元気です ogenki desu: I’m doing good / I’m well

どうぞ douzo: A phrase used to let someone do something or when you give something to someone.