挨拶

aisatsu — greetings & set phrases · green ending = the polite half, dropped with friends

Review 23 →

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かけあい call & response · first / answer

leaving home

the one going out いってきます ittekimasu I'm off (and I'll be back)

→

the one staying いってらっしゃい itterasshai go, and come back safe

coming home

the one arriving ただいま tadaima I'm home

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the one at home おかえりなさい casual: おかえり okaeri nasai welcome back

after introductions

you よろしくお願いします yoroshiku onegai shimasu please treat me kindly

→

them こちらこそ kochira koso likewise — the pleasure is mine

They usually add よろしくお願いします again after こちらこそ.

being thanked

the one thanking ありがとうございます arigatō (gozaimasu) thank you

→

the one thanked どういたしまして dō itashimashite you're welcome

In real life a modest いえいえ ("no, no") is far more common.

at work, all day

a coworker お疲れ様です otsukaresama (desu) good work / hi

→

you お疲れ様です otsukaresama (desu) the same, straight back

leaving work first

the one leaving お先に失礼します osaki ni shitsurei shimasu excuse me for going first

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those staying お疲れ様でした otsukaresama deshita thanks for your hard work

walking into a shop

the staff いらっしゃいませ irasshaimase welcome (come in)

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the customer （会釈） eshaku a small nod — no reply expected

日

一日いちにち · through the day

おはようございます ohayō (gozaimasu)

good morning— until mid-morning — and the first hello of any work shift

こんにちは konnichiwa

hello · good afternoon— daytime; not to family or coworkers you see every day

こんばんは konbanwa

good evening— once it is dark

おやすみなさい oyasumi nasai casual: おやすみ

good night— going to bed, or parting late at night

食

食事しょくじ · meals

いただきます itadakimasu

before eating— hands together — "I humbly receive"

ごちそうさまでした gochisōsama (deshita)

after eating— to the cook, the host, or the staff as you leave

礼

お礼とおわびおれいとおわび · thanks & sorry

ありがとうございます arigatō (gozaimasu)

thank you

どういたしまして dō itashimashite

you're welcome

すみません sumimasen polite

sorry · excuse me · thanks for the trouble— also calls a waiter: すみません！

ごめんなさい gomen (nasai)

I'm sorry— personal — friends & family, not your boss

失礼します shitsurei shimasu polite

excuse me (for intruding)— entering or leaving a room, interrupting

会

出会いであい · meeting people

はじめまして hajimemashite

nice to meet you— first meeting only — opens a self-introduction

よろしくお願いします yoroshiku onegai shimasu casual: よろしく

please treat me kindly— closes the introduction; also "thanks in advance"

お久しぶりです o-hisashiburi (desu) casual: 久しぶり！

long time no see

別

別れわかれ · parting

さようなら sayōnara

goodbye— sounds final — long partings, or pupils to a teacher

じゃあね jā ne casual

see you— friends; also またね

また明日 mata ashita casual

see you tomorrow— polite: また明日よろしくお願いします

お疲れ様です otsukaresama (desu)

good work · bye (to coworkers)

店

お店おみせ · shops & restaurants

いらっしゃいませ irasshaimase polite

welcome!— staff only — you never say it

お願いします onegai shimasu polite

please (I’d like…)— ordering: コーヒー、お願いします