Written by:
Published:
Jun 25, 2020

Hello in Japanese: 13 Ways to Say Hi in Japanese

Interested in learning Japanese? Start by learning how to greet native speakers with these ways of saying “hello” in Japanese. 

Get the conversation rolling with the following phrases and words for “hi” in Japanese as well as many other Japanese greetings.

And if you want to learn more words and phrases in Japanese, try Drops!

#1 こんにちは (konnichiwa) - “Hello” in Japanese

“Hello” in Japanese is likely an expression you’ve heard in the past, even if you haven’t ever studied the language before. But this isn’t the expression you’d use with close friends or family. While it can be used in both formal and informal situations, you’re more likely to hear it used between strangers or in more formal situations.

こんにちは also literally means “good afternoon”, so you’ll typically here this said at that time.

How to say hello in Japanese


#2 やあ! (Ya-) - “Hi” in Japanese

To say “hi” in Japanese, you simply say やあ. This expression, however, is very informal and it’s often just used to grab attention. 

#3 [Name]-ちゃん ([Name]-chan) or [Name]-さん ([Name]-san) - “Hey” in Japanese

Want to say “hey” in Japanese? A simple way to do this is by simply calling the other person’s name. So 雅ちゃん! (Miyabi-chan!) is very similar to saying “hey, Miyabi!” in Japanese. 

#4 おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu) - “Good morning” in Japanese

To say “good morning” in Japanese, you use おはようございます. You’ll commonly hear this said at work in the mornings. In less formal situations, you can shorten it to おはよう (ohayou). 

Learn a new language with Drops


#5 こんばんは (konbanwa) - “Good evening” in Japanese

To wish someone a good evening in Japanese, you use こんばんは. It’s a polite and formal way to say “good evening” in Japanese. 

#6 お久しぶりですね (o-hisashiburi desu ne) - “Long time no see” in Japanese 

Has it been a while since you’d last seen the person you’re chatting with? Use this expression to say “it’s been a while” or “long time no see”. 

To make this expression less formal, simply drop the お at the beginning of the sentence. 

#7 ヤッホー (Ya-ho-) - “Yoohoo” in Japanese

This expression is more feminine and childlike in use. It’s very casual and is simply used to capture someone’s attention--particularly that of a close friend or child. The next phrase is a more masculine expression.

#8 おす (Osu) - “Hey” in Japanese

This way of saying “hey” in Japanese is informal and typically used by male speakers to other male speakers, but of course, there are always exceptions to the rule!

#9 ただいまー (tadaima-) - “I’m back” in Japanese

When you return home, it’s common to announce your arrival. In Japanese, you use ただいまー (tadaima-) to say “I’m back!” or “I’m home!”


#10 はじめまして (hajimemashite) - “Nice to meet you” in Japanese

This is an expression you can use when first meeting someone to say “nice to meet you”. It’s often followed by よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) which literally translates as “please look after me” but is really just another way to say “nice to meet you”. So it’s common to hear: はじめまして. よろしくお願いします.

#11 いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase) - “Welcome” in Japanese

If you enter a Japanese restaurant or store, you’ll likely be greeted with this phrase. It isn’t something you’d say to a friend or family member visiting your home. Instead, you’d say お邪魔します (ojama shimasu) which means “sorry for bothering you” and you’d be welcomed in with どうぞ (douzo) which means “go ahead”, “come in”, or even “after you”.

#12 もしもし (moshi moshi) - “Hello” on the phone in Japanese

When you answer the phone in Japanese, you might use the expression もしもし (moshi moshi). In more formal situations, you’d answer the phone using “yes” or はい.

Learn a new language with Drops


#13 いい天気ですね (Ii tenki desu ne) - “The weather’s nice today” in Japanese

Weather is a common topic in small talk, and that’s no different in Japanese. You can greet someone with this expression to say something along the lines of “nice weather we’re having” or “the weather is nice today” in Japanese. 

Choosing the Best Way to Say “Hello” in Japanese

How do you know which of these fourteen expressions you should use? Depending on the context and formality of the situation, certain Japanese greetings will be more appropriate than others. 

With friends and family, simply greeting someone with their name or ya- would work. But in more formal situations, like work, school, or when talking to strangers, you may prefer to us konnichiwa

How to Say Hello in Japanese

Greetings aren’t just words you memorize. When you say hello, depending on where you are, you may hug or kiss the cheeks of the person you’re greeting. In Japan, you’ll often bow. And if you know the other person has a higher social or work ranking than you, make sure you bow lower, otherwise it may be considered rude. 

When you are on familiar terms with someone, you can use their first name. But as a sign of respect, you can address someone by their title and last name or -san

Learn More Words and Greetings in Japanese

Want to learn more words and greetings in Japanese? Try Drops!

Learn a new language with Drops


More Language Learning Fun with Drops

Drops: the new way to easily learn a language that combines engaging and fun word games with beautiful design. Learn more than 41 languages with fun, visual games. Try the fastest-growing language app in the world for free on iOS or Android.

Download Drops

Sound fun? Easy? Effective? It is.
Get Drops for free!

Get started