The Most Powerful Lessons You Learn Whilst Travelling
Japan has a reputation of having a tough language to learn but the basics are not that hard to understand. If you’re looking to travel to Japan whether it’s for short term or working holiday then learning the everyday Japanese phrases will come in handy. Morning and evening greetings are incredibly important in Japan as the Japanese culture is very formal, and going through the ritual of greeting one another is seen as a sign of respect. Depending on the time of day when Japanese people greet each other they tend to bow, you are expected to bow to each person individually even if they’re in a group to avoid causing offence.
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]If you have booked your Japanese working holiday visa with us then this blog post will help you in learning the most useful and important phrases. As you will be out there working for a year it’s important you make a good impression straight away through the use of these greetings. We have added a mix of formal and informal phrases, obviously the use of these will depend on who you’re talking to. The goal for you is to be fluent in these greetings. The more you know, the better you’ll be at Japanese!
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”17228″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_custom_heading text=”1. Hello” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23000000|line_height:20px” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]こんにちは 今日は ‘Konnichiwa’ (Hello/Good day)
If you watch Japanese anime you’ve probably heard this a lot, it’s appropriate to say this for almost all informal and formal interactions.
毎度 (まいど, Hello)
‘Maido’ You may hear this in only a few regions, it’s mainly used to greet customers who come into a restaurant or store. Since this is typically used by businesses to greet customers, a simple nod and a smile will do for a response. Alternatively, you can say ありがとう (“Thank you,” or “Arigatō”).
やあ “Yā.”(Hi)
This has got to be the most easiest one to learn! You can also say Yo, this is the equivalent of saying ‘Hey’ in English, this is appropriate when greeting a close friend.
おはよう “Ohayou.” (Good morning)
This is a casual way of saying good morning and probably most appropriate as a quick casual way of greeting family or room mates in the morning. If you have been working at the same place for a couple of month now you can greet everyone on the morning by saying this.
おはようございます “Ohayou gozaimasu.”(Good morning)
This is the more formal way of saying good morning and is best used when meeting a superior or someone you just newly met.
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お元気ですか？“O genki desu ka?” (おげんきですか, How’s it going / Are you healthy?)
This is a good phrase to use after greeting a new person/friend that you don’t know well enough. It’s a formal way of saying how are you that you can also use with family and friends as well, it implies that you are taking an interest in how they are doing.
元気？“Genki?”(げんき, You good / You healthy?)
This is the shortened version of the above and it’s appropriate to use when having quick interactions with close friends. It still implies that you care but is more informal than the above.
最近どう？ “Saikin dō?” (さいきん どう, What’s up?)
This is another way of saying ‘how have you been’.
大丈夫ですか？“Daijōbu desu ka?” (だいじょうぶ ですか, Are you alright?)
This is another term you may have heard on TV and is typically said after someone has been hurt or embarrassed.
元気だった？“Genki datta?” (げんき だった, How’s it going?)
Just another way of saying ‘you good’?
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”17226″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_custom_heading text=”4. Good evening” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23000000″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]こんばんは “Konbanwa.” (Good evening)
You can use this phrase when greeting someone in the evening, but not to close up your conversation like ‘Good night’.
おやすみなさい “Oyasumi nasai.” (I’m going to bed / Goodnight)
This can be said when closing off your conversation when leaving a group of friends for the night. This is appropriate for any formal and informal situations.
さようなら “Sayōnara.” (Goodbye)
This is a term that pretty much everyone has heard before and it’s just a quick casual way of saying bye to friends and acquaintances.
Other quick casual ways of saying bye are as follows:
じゃあ / じゃあ ね “Jā / Jā ne” (Bye)
また ね “Mata ne” (See you soon)
じゃあ また “Jā mata” (See you again)
また あした また明日 “Mata ashita” (See you tomorrow)
げんき で 元気で “Genki de” (Be well)
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