Japanese Greetings List: Hello, Goodbye, and Polite Phrases
The most useful Japanese greetings are time-based and situation-based. おはようございます means good morning, こんにちは covers hello and good afternoon, こんばんは means good evening, and different phrases appear for introductions, phone calls, goodbyes, thanks, and apologies.
Start with five core greetings: おはようございます, こんにちは, こんばんは, はじめまして, and よろしくお願いします.
After introducing yourself, or when asking for cooperation
Japanese Greetings by Situation
Situation
Natural phrase
Formal vs casual
Notes
First meeting
はじめまして / よろしくお願いします
Polite
Standard self-introduction pair.
School / work
おはようございます / お疲れ様です
Usually polite
Very common in shared routines.
Phone
もしもし
Casual / neutral
Used on calls, not in face-to-face greetings.
Goodbye
じゃあね / 失礼します
Casual vs polite
Choose based on distance and setting.
Thanks / apology
ありがとうございます / すみません
Polite
Often function like social greetings in daily life.
Good Afternoon in Japanese
こんにちは is one of the first greetings learners meet, but it is not a perfect all-day replacement for English hello. In many situations it works like good afternoon in Japanese, especially from late morning through the day.
Colleagues, team situations, polite workplace speech
Japanese greetings are often about relationship management. The words themselves are short, but the politeness choice carries a lot of meaning.
First-Meeting Mini Dialogue
A natural first meeting has two separate jobs: open the conversation with はじめまして, then close your introduction with よろしくお願いします. Neither phrase means a literal English “nice to meet you” in every context, but together they are the standard beginner-safe pair.
Speaker
Japanese
Meaning
A
はじめまして。マリアです。
Nice to meet you. I’m Maria.
A
カナダから来ました。よろしくお願いします。
I’m from Canada. I look forward to knowing you.
B
こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。
Likewise; pleased to meet you.
Use this pair only when meeting someone for the first time. For a full script with name, origin, and interests, continue to Self-Introduction in Japanese.
Which Japanese Greeting Should You Use?
Situation
Safest phrase
Avoid
Morning with staff or teacher
おはようございます
A casual shortened greeting
Daytime first contact
こんにちは
Using it as a farewell
Evening arrival
こんばんは
Confusing it with good night
First meeting
はじめまして
Repeating it after the first meeting
Leaving work first
お先に失礼します
A dramatic goodbye
Someone finishes work
お疲れさまです
Literal English translation
The best greeting depends on time, relationship, and whether you are arriving or leaving. Japanese greetings are short social signals, so a context-correct phrase is more natural than a longer memorized line.
5 Common Mistakes with Japanese Greetings
Using こんにちは as a universal hello. It does not cover every time of day naturally.
Forgetting the polite ending.おはようございます is much safer than bare おはよう in public or formal settings.
Using はじめまして more than once. It is for first meetings only.
Skipping よろしくお願いします in introductions. It often completes the natural introduction flow.
Using casual after-work language too early.おつかれ is not the same as a neutral everyday greeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say hello in Japanese?
こんにちは is the best-known option, but Japanese uses different greetings depending on time of day and relationship.
What is good morning in Japanese?
おはようございます is the polite form, and おはよう is the casual form.
What is good afternoon in Japanese?
In many normal situations, こんにちは works as good afternoon in Japanese.
What is good evening in Japanese?
こんばんは is the standard evening greeting.
Are Japanese greetings different in formal situations?
Yes. Formal situations often use more polite endings and different workplace expressions.
Which Japanese greetings should beginners learn first?
Start with おはようございます, こんにちは, こんばんは, はじめまして, and よろしくお願いします.
The YoruLearn app helps you review greetings, polite forms, and social phrases through spaced repetition flashcards, quick reading drills, and adaptive practice.
Choose the phrase before opening the answer. The goal is to match time, relationship, and whether you are arriving, leaving, or meeting someone for the first time.
