Welcome Back! Let's Say Hello
Last time we got your mouth used to Japanese sounds and that gentle pitch. Now let's use them on actual people.
In this level you'll learn the everyday greetings, how to bow without feeling awkward, and the most useful word you'll pack for Japan: sumimasen. Ready? Let's go.
Three Greetings for Three Times of Day
Here's something that surprises a lot of English speakers. Japanese doesn't have one all-purpose "hello". Which greeting you use depends on the time of day.
Ohayō gozaimasu (おはようございます), said oh-HA-yoh go-ZAI-mas, means good morning. Use it from when you wake up until about 10:30 or 11 in the morning. With friends people shorten it to just ohayō. But with strangers, like hotel staff at breakfast, say the full version.
Konnichiwa (こんにちは), said kon-NEE-chee-wa, means hello or good afternoon. It covers roughly late morning until it gets dark. Here's a fun detail: the last sound is written with the kana は, which normally reads "ha", but here it's pronounced "wa". That's because the greeting is really the start of an old sentence about "today" that nobody bothers to finish.
Konbanwa (こんばんは), said kon-BAN-wa, means good evening. You switch to it once it's dark. That might be around 5:30 in winter and closer to 7 in summer.
So here's a quick question for you. It's 8 a.m. and you walk into your hotel's breakfast room. What do you say? That's right: ohayō gozaimasu!
Thank You and Goodbye
For thank you, the polite all-rounder is arigatō gozaimasu, said a-ree-GA-toh go-ZAI-mas. Plain arigatō is friendlier and more casual. A quick dōmo (DOH-moh) works as a light "thanks" when someone holds a door for you.
Now, goodbye. You probably know sayōnara. But here's the catch: it sounds quite final, a bit like "farewell". Japanese people don't use it much when they're parting for the day. With people you'll see again, a casual ja mata (jah MAH-tah, "see you") is common. When you're leaving a shop or a meeting room, a polite shitsurei shimasu (shee-tsoo-RAY shee-mas) means roughly "excuse me for leaving".
How and When to Bow
Bowing works a bit like the volume dial on a stereo. The deeper the bow, the more respect or apology you're turning up.
- Eshaku: a light bow of about 15 degrees. It's a casual greeting or a quick "thanks". You can keep looking at the person.
- Keirei: about 30 degrees, with your eyes lowered. It's for polite greetings, thanks and apologies in formal settings.
- Saikeirei: 45 degrees or deeper, held for longer. It's for the deepest respect or a sincere apology.
Which one will you use as a traveller? Mostly the light eshaku. When a shop assistant bows and thanks you, a small nod and an arigatō gozaimasu is perfect. Keep your back straight and bend from the waist, not just the neck. And relax! People know visitors are still learning. A sincere little bow goes a long way.
Sumimasen: Your Swiss Army Knife
If you learn just one word, make it sumimasen (すみません), said soo-mee-mah-SEN. You'll often hear it run together as suimasen.
It does three jobs:
- Excuse me: getting a waiter's attention, or squeezing off a crowded train.
- Sorry: bumping into someone, or being a little late.
- Thank you: when someone has gone out of their way for you, like picking up the glove you dropped.
Why does one word mean both sorry and thank you? Because it carries the feeling of "I'm sorry to trouble you, and I'm grateful." When a stranger helps you, you've put them out a little, so you thank them and apologise in one go.
Desu and Masu: The Polite Endings
With strangers, which on your trip means almost everyone, Japanese uses polite endings. The two you'll hear constantly are desu and -masu. Both end in a soft, almost silent "u": dess, mass.
Desu goes after nouns and describing words. It works a bit like a polite "it is". Oishii means tasty. Oishii desu (oy-SHEE dess) is the polite "It's delicious."
-masu goes on the end of verbs. The casual wakaru (understand) becomes wakarimasu (wa-ka-ree-mas), "I understand." Its polite negative is wakarimasen, "I don't understand", which is a handy one to have ready!
Have you noticed? You've already met this pattern. The gozaimasu in ohayō gozaimasu and arigatō gozaimasu is exactly what makes them polite.
A Short Dialogue
You step into a small café in the evening.
Staff: Irasshaimase! (Welcome!) You: Konbanwa. (small nod) Later you raise your hand. You: Sumimasen! Staff: Hai! (Yes!) Your coffee arrives. You: Arigatō gozaimasu. Oishii desu! As you leave: You: Gochisōsama deshita. (Thank you for the meal.) Shitsurei shimasu.
Your Turn: Role-Play
Picture these and say your line out loud:
- It's 9 a.m. and the ryokan host greets you in the corridor.
- You step on someone's foot on the train.
- A stranger points out that you dropped your ticket.
How did you go? Good answers are ohayō gozaimasu with a light bow, sumimasen (sorry), and sumimasen or arigatō gozaimasu (thanks).
Key Takeaways
- Ohayō gozaimasu in the morning, konnichiwa in the daytime, konbanwa after dark.
- Arigatō gozaimasu is the polite thank you. Save sayōnara for final goodbyes.
- A light 15-degree bow covers most traveller moments. Deeper bows show more respect.
- Sumimasen means excuse me, sorry or thank you.
- Desu and -masu make what you say polite. Wakaru becomes wakarimasu.