Japanese Greetings and Introductions

Written by: authorship not independently recorded. Maintained by Prakash. Reviewed by: not recorded. Updated: legacy editorial date unknown. Editorial policy and corrections.

Draft: not yet reviewed by a native speaker. Existing availability and indexing are preserved by owner instruction; that is not an editorial approval. Suggest a correction.

🔊 Tap any speaker button to hear the words on this page spoken. Too fast or slow? Use the speed button at the bottom-right of the page.

Greet through the day, introduce yourself with よろしく, and bow at the right depth — with particles は and も.

Full course. Authored Japanese content, part of the free EkGuru Japanese course. Audio is your browser’s computer voice, not a native recording.

Greetings through the day

Morning: おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu). Daytime: こんにちは (konnichiwa — note the は pronounced "wa"). Evening: こんばんは (konbanwa). On the phone: もしもし (moshi moshi). Leaving before others: お先に失礼します (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu — excuse me for leaving first); those staying answer お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita — thank you for your work).

Introducing yourself

The template: はじめまして。私はラヴィです。インドから来ました。よろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Ravi desu. Indo kara kimashita. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.) — How do you do; I am Ravi; I came from India; please treat me well. よろしく has no English equivalent — it hands the relationship to the other person. Family name first: 田中さん is Mr/Ms Tanaka.

Bowing, at the right depth

Words ride on bows: a 15° nod (eshaku) for casual greetings, 30° for clients and thanks, 45°+ for deep apology. Hold eye contact until the bow starts, hands at sides (men) or folded front (women). Foreigners are not graded on angle — attempting the bow matters more than perfecting it. Business cards (名刺 meishi) are exchanged with both hands and studied, never pocketed.

Thanks and goodbye

ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) is full thanks; どうも is its casual shadow. "You're welcome" is どういたしまして. Apology doubles as thanks: すみません (sumimasen) covers excuse me, sorry, and thank you for the trouble. Goodbye varies by situation: さようなら is final; friends say じゃあね / またね; at home it's いってきます answered by いってらっしゃい.

Greeting	When to use it
おはようございます	good morning — full polite form
こんにちは / こんばんは	hello (day) / good evening
はじめまして	how do you do — first meetings
よろしくおねがいします	please treat me well — ends introductions
ありがとうございます	thank you — full form
すみません	excuse me / sorry / thanks for trouble

Japanese course Practice Quiz Review