Say hello and goodbye in Japanese
Learn the core Japanese greetings and goodbyes, when each fits by time of day and relationship, and how to open and close a first conversation politely.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Japanese greetings are not interchangeable. The right choice depends on the time of day, how well you know the person, and whether you are arriving or leaving. This lesson gives you a small, reliable set of greetings and goodbyes, shows the register each one carries, and then puts them into a short first conversation you could actually have with a neighbor, a coworker, or a host. Pay attention to the endings: desu and masu keep you polite, while casual forms are for friends and family. When in doubt at beginner level, stay polite; it is never wrong in a first interaction.
By the end, you can…
- greet someone appropriately depending on the time of day.
- say goodbye using a form that matches how close I am to the person.
- open and close a short first conversation in polite Japanese.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
おはようございます。
Good morning.
ohayoo gozaimasu
Polite morning greeting, roughly until about 10 or 11 a.m. Use it with coworkers, teachers, and strangers. With close friends, the shorter おはよう (ohayoo) is fine.
こんにちは。
Hello. / Good afternoon.
konnichiwa
The standard daytime greeting, from late morning until early evening. It works with almost anyone and is the safest default when you are unsure. Note the final は is pronounced wa, not ha.
こんばんは。
Good evening.
konbanwa
Used after dark when you meet someone. Note the final は is pronounced wa, not ha.
はじめまして。
Nice to meet you. (first meeting)
hajimemashite
Said only the first time you meet someone. It usually comes before your name, and is often followed by よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu).
よろしくお願いします。
Pleased to meet you. / I look forward to a good relationship with you.
yoroshiku onegaishimasu
A set phrase that closes a self-introduction. It signals goodwill and a request for a good relationship. Casual friends shorten it to よろしく (yoroshiku).
さようなら。
Goodbye.
sayoonara
A formal, somewhat final goodbye. It fits a teacher, a formal occasion, or a long parting. Friends usually say じゃあね (jaa ne) or またね (mata ne) instead.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Many greetings follow a time-of-day pattern: おはようございます (ohayoo gozaimasu) in the morning, こんにちは (konnichiwa) in the daytime, and こんばんは (konbanwa) in the evening. The polite ending ございます (gozaimasu) appears only in the morning form. For goodbyes, politeness often shows in length: さようなら (sayoonara) is formal, while じゃあね (jaa ne) and またね (mata ne) are casual. So you can adjust one greeting or goodbye to fit the person simply by choosing the polite or casual version.
When to use it
Choose by situation, not by translation. Use おはようございます (ohayoo gozaimasu) when you arrive at work or class in the morning. Use こんにちは (konnichiwa) when you meet a neighbor at midday or enter a shop. Use こんばんは (konbanwa) when you meet someone after dark. For leaving, say さようなら (sayoonara) to a teacher or in a formal setting, but say じゃあね (jaa ne) to a friend. If you are not sure, polite forms are safe in almost any first interaction.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
こんにちは。
Hello.konnichiwaこんにちは。はじめまして。田中です。
Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Tanaka.konnichiwa. hajimemashite. tanaka desuはじめまして。マリアです。よろしくお願いします。
Nice to meet you. I'm Maria. I look forward to getting to know you.hajimemashite. maria desu. yoroshiku onegaishimasuよろしくお願いします。
Likewise, pleased to meet you.yoroshiku onegaishimasuじゃあ、また明日。
Well then, see you tomorrow.jaa, mata ashitaはい、また明日。さようなら。
Yes, see you tomorrow. Goodbye.hai, mata ashita. sayoonaraA little context goes a long way
Politeness in Japanese is often shown by choosing a longer, more formal form with people you do not know well, and a shorter form with close friends. Bowing slightly while greeting is common and signals respect; the depth of the bow varies with the situation. In casual settings, friends may simply nod or wave. Using a polite greeting with a friend is not rude, just slightly distant, so beginners can safely stay polite until the relationship feels casual.
One thing to watch for
Using さようなら (sayoonara) with a close friend every day, because it is the first word for 'goodbye' in many textbooks.
Try this instead: さようなら (sayoonara) sounds formal and somewhat final, so it can feel distant between friends. Use じゃあね (jaa ne) or またね (mata ne) with friends, and save さようなら (sayoonara) for teachers, formal occasions, or long partings.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1It is 8 a.m. and you arrive at work. Which greeting fits?
Show a sample answer
おはようございます。 (ohayoo gozaimasu)
Morning greetings use おはようございます (ohayoo gozaimasu) in polite settings. With close coworkers, おはよう (ohayoo) is also acceptable.
2You meet a new neighbor at 3 p.m. What do you say first?
Show a sample answer
こんにちは。 (konnichiwa)
こんにちは (konnichiwa) is the standard daytime greeting and works with someone you have just met. おはようございます (ohayoo gozaimasu) would be too early for 3 p.m.
3You are leaving a friend's house in the evening. Which goodbye is most natural?
Show a sample answer
じゃあね。 (jaa ne)
じゃあね (jaa ne) is a casual goodbye for friends. またね (mata ne) also works. さようなら (sayoonara) would sound too formal here.
Match the greeting to the time of day and the goodbye to how close you are; when unsure, polite forms like こんにちは (konnichiwa) and よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) are always safe.
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