The famous one is こんにちは (konnichiwa) — but it's really the daytime hello, and Japanese swaps greetings by the time of day and how well you know someone. Get these right and you sound far more natural than "konnichiwa" for everything.
Hello, by the time of day
| Japanese | Reading | When |
|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Morning (polite) |
| おはよう | ohayō | Morning (casual) |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Midday / afternoon |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Evening |
Ohayō gozaimasu is what you'll say most mornings — to staff, colleagues, anyone. Drop the gozaimasu with friends. By late afternoon you switch to konbanwa.
Casual hellos with friends
With people you know, a full konnichiwa can feel stiff. Casual options:
- やあ (yā) — a light "hey."
- おっす (ossu) — very casual, mostly among young men.
- 元気？ (genki?) — "you good?", the Japanese "what's up."
Answering "how are you?"
If someone asks お元気ですか (o-genki desu ka?) — "how are you?" — the standard reply is:
はい、元気です。 — Hai, genki desu. — "Yes, I'm well." (add ありがとう / arigatō to say "thanks.")
Saying goodbye
Here's the twist most learners miss: さようなら (sayōnara) is a heavy goodbye — it can imply you won't meet for a long time. For everyday partings, use something lighter:
| Japanese | Reading | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| じゃあね | jā ne | "See ya" (casual) |
| またね | mata ne | "See you again" |
| また明日 | mata ashita | "See you tomorrow" |
| お疲れさま | otsukaresama | "Good work" (leaving work/among colleagues) |
| さようなら | sayōnara | Formal / long goodbye |
Thank you and sorry
- ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) — thank you (polite). Casual: ありがとう.
- すみません (sumimasen) — excuse me / sorry / and even "thanks" when someone helps you. The most useful word in the language.
- ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) — I'm sorry (apology). Casual: ごめん.
Yes, no, and the nod
- はい (hai) — yes · いいえ (iie) — no (though Japanese often softens "no" rather than saying it outright).
- うん (un) / ううん (uun) — casual yes / no.
A small bow usually goes with a greeting — a quick nod for casual, a deeper one for respect. You don't need to overthink it; matching the other person's bow is plenty.
The fastest way to make these stick
Phrases stick when you meet them in the wild — on a shop's いらっしゃいませ (welcome!) sign, in a drama, on a poster. Reading real Japanese, not flashcards, is what builds recognition.
That's exactly what a camera translator gives you: point Yomi at Japanese text and it shows the English and the romaji, so you connect sound, script and meaning in context. Learn the greetings here, then let the world be your practice — see Japanese for travelers for the phrases that pair with them, and how to read Japanese to start decoding the script itself.