In this workshop you will practice casual Japanese greetings used with close friends. You will hear short, friendly expressions and learn what each one means in English. Then you will try three speaking tasks: a guided exchange, a reply comprehension choice, and a recall task where you play both roles. The recordings are your model. Listen carefully, repeat aloud, and check yourself with the answers provided. These greetings are for friends, not for strangers, teachers, or workplace seniors.
Warm-up: Friendly Hellos and Check-ins
Start by listening to four short greetings. «やあ。» is a quick, friendly 'hey' for close friends. «おーい。» is used to call someone's attention, especially when they are a little far away or not looking. «元気？» is a casual way to ask 'You good?' or 'How are you?' The question particle is dropped, so your rising intonation does the work. «どう？» is a relaxed 'What's up?' or 'How's it going?' It is vague and friendly, not a serious question about health. Repeat each one aloud after the recording. Keep your voice light and relaxed. These are not formal greetings, so avoid using them with strangers, teachers, or workplace seniors.
Hear the Rhythm in a Short Exchange
Now listen to a short exchange between two friends. Speaker A says «やあ、元気？», which means 'Hey, you good?' Speaker B answers with «うん、元気。どう？», meaning 'Yeah, I'm good. What's up?' Notice how short and natural the lines are. There is no long sentence. The rising tone on the question and the relaxed reply are enough. Practice saying both lines aloud. Copy the rhythm and the friendly tone. Then listen to a second scene. Speaker A calls out «おーい、ちょっと来て。», which means 'Hey, come here a sec.' Speaker B replies with «おつかれ。今行く。», meaning 'Hey. I'm coming now.' Here «おーい。» is used to call someone over, and the reply shows that the person is on their way. These two scenes are separate: one is a check-in, and the other is calling someone to come closer. In this scene, the first part of the reply is a friendly acknowledgment; it does not mean the speaker has diagnosed the other person's tiredness.
Choosing the Right Casual Greeting
Each greeting fits a slightly different moment. Use «やあ。» as a simple 'hey' when you first see a friend. Use «おーい。» when you need to get a friend's attention from a short distance. Use «元気？» when you want to check in and ask if they are doing okay. Use «どう？» when you want a relaxed 'what's up?' after the first hello. In the exchange, «やあ、元気？» combines a hey with a check-in, and «うん、元気。どう？» answers it and returns the question. In the calling scene, «おーい、ちょっと来て。» gets attention and asks the friend to come closer, while «おつかれ。今行く。» shows the friend heard and is coming. Practice choosing the greeting that matches the moment, and keep your tone friendly and casual.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
やあ。
Hey.
yaa
おーい。
Hey! / Yoohoo!
ooi
元気？
You good? / How are you?
genki?
どう？
What's up? / How's it going?
dou?
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
やあ、元気？
Hey, you good?うん、元気。どう？
Yeah, I'm good. What's up?おーい、ちょっと来て。
Hey, come here a sec.おつかれ。今行く。
Hey. I'm coming now.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Greet and Check In
Imagine a close friend has just walked up to you. You want to say a friendly 'hey' and then ask if they are doing okay. Use the recordings as your model.
Your task: Listen to «やあ、元気？» once. Then say the same line aloud as if your friend just arrived. After that, listen to «うん、元気。どう？» and say it aloud as the reply. Repeat the pair three times, keeping your voice light and friendly.
Reply Comprehension: Choose the Right Response
Imagine a friend calls out to you from a short distance and asks you to come closer. You hear the call and want to answer that you are coming now.
Your task: Listen to «おーい、ちょっと来て。». Then choose the best reply from these two options: (A) «おつかれ。今行く。» or (B) «うん、元気。どう？». Say your chosen reply aloud. Then listen to the recording of your choice and compare.
Recall Both Roles: Check-in and Calling Over
Imagine two short scenes. In the first scene, you meet a friend and check in. In the second scene, you call a friend over from a short distance. You will play both roles in each scene.
Your task: For scene one, say «やあ、元気？» as Speaker A, then say «うん、元気。どう？» as Speaker B. For scene two, say «おーい、ちょっと来て。» as Speaker A, then say «おつかれ。今行く。» as Speaker B. Do this once while looking at the lines, then once without looking.
Common questions
Can I use these greetings with anyone?
These greetings are casual and friendly, so they fit close friends. They are not for strangers, teachers, or workplace seniors. When you are unsure, choose a more polite greeting instead. The recordings here are models for informal situations only.
What is the difference between the check-in scene and the calling scene?
In the check-in scene, «やあ、元気？» greets a friend and asks if they are doing okay, and «うん、元気。どう？» answers and returns the question. In the calling scene, «おーい、ちょっと来て。» gets a friend's attention and asks them to come closer, and «おつかれ。今行く。» shows the friend heard and is coming. The two scenes use different lines for different moments.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: greet friends casuallyChecked September 2026
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