How to say hello in Japanese

Listen, repeat and learn how to say hello in Japanese: our first of our free Japanese lessons from your Japanese for beginners course.

Different ways to say hello in Japanese

 

The Japanese language as many other languages uses different words for polite and casual occasions.

• Polite hello would be : konnichiwa
• Casual hello would be : domo!

 

However you will hear the Japanese much more saying, good morning or good evening in stead of saying ‘hello’:

 

• Casual Good Morning: ohayo
• Polite Good Morning: ohayo gozaimasu
• Good Evening: konbanwa

 

The easiest way of greeting Japanese people is saying their name and nodding your head when you pass them by.

 

How to say hello in Japanese: video

 

 

This video shows you how to say hello in Japanese:

 

• first in writing and slowly pronounced
• then in actual Japanese situations.

 

The video will also teach you how to say goodbye in Japanese.

 

Saying hello in Japanese: audio

 

Click to download the Japanese course audio (63Kb, mp3)

 

A Japanese man named Kenny meets a Japanese woman called Sayaka for the first time:

 

• Kenny: Sayaka san, konnichiwa!
• Sayaka: Kenii san, konnichiwa! O genki desu ka?
• Kenny: Genki desu, arigatoo, anata wa?
• Sayaka: Watashi mo genki desu, arigatoo.

 

• Kenny: Hello, Sayaka!
• Sayaka: Hello, Kenny! How are you?
• Kenny: I’m good, thank you, and you?
• Sayaka: I’m good too, thank you.

 

Japanese words to say bye bye

 

You most likely know the polite Japanese phrase already (sayonara), so just for practicing the sound:

 

• Polite Bye: sayonara
• Casual Bye Bye – See You Later: ja mata
• Casual Bye Bye – See You Tomorrow: mata ashita

 

How to say hello in a Japanese phone

 

When you call somebody in Japan, you will hear the word: moshi-moshi which is the Japanese word for saying hello on the phone when answering a call.

 

How to say hello in Japanese summarized

 

You will have noticed we didn’t go deeper into the Japanese writing nor alphabet. That’s because when people speak, they use words.

 

You can read an introduction about the Japanese writing in the Free Hiragana Font post.

 

Further on: keep on playing the video and audio and repeat like a parrot how to say hello in Japanese.