How to Say Hello in Japanese

Standard Greetings

Use konnichiwa (こんにちは) to greet most people in most settings. Konnichiwa (koh-nee-chee-wah) is the most common way to say "hello" in Japanese, and is considered an all-purpose greeting. You can use it during the day when greeting anyone, regardless of their social status. Konnichiwa comes from the word "today" in the phrase "How are you today?" For this reason, it isn't appropriate to use later in the evening, after the sun goes down. You also won't hear Japanese people say it very often early in the morning.Pronunciation Tip: In Japanese, syllables aren't stressed as they are in many other languages. Instead, Japanese syllables are differentiated by the pitch of your voice. The same word said with different pitches can take on different meanings, so listen to Japanese people say any word you want to learn and mimic their tones exactly.

Greet people with ohayō gozaimasu (おはよう　ございます) in the morning. ohayō gozaimasu (oh-hah-yoh goh-zah-ee-muhss-oo) means "good morning" in Japanese and is the standard greeting that replaces konnichiwa in the early morning hours, typically before 10:00 a.m. This greeting is appropriate with strangers, or when you're greeting people in a position of authority over you, such as your teacher or your boss. This greeting is appropriate both when you're approaching someone and when you're departing their company (as a form of "goodbye"), but watch the time of day. If it's approaching afternoon, you should probably use sayonara (sah-yoh-nah-rah) instead.

Switch to konbanwa (こんばんは) in the evening. Konbanwa (kohn-bahn-wah) means "good evening" in Japanese and is appropriate to use when you're greeting anyone in the late afternoon or evening hours after the sun goes down. This greeting is used both when you're meeting someone and when you're departing. As you're taking your leave, you can also use oyasumi nasai (おやすみなさい) to say "goodbye" at night. This phrase is not typically used as a greeting, only when you're leaving. Pronounce it oh-yah-soo-mee nah-sigh.Culture Tip: Because of the formality of Japanese culture, morning and evening are more carefully demarcated from the day than in Western culture. While you would say "hello" in English to anyone at any time of the day, you should never say konnichiwa in the morning or evening.

Follow up your greeting by asking o genki desu ka (お元気ですか). O genki desu ka (oh gehn-kee dehss kah) is a polite, formal way to say "how are you?" It can also be a great way to get a conversation started with someone you just met. This phrase allows you to connect with the person you're speaking to and is considered respectful, especially if they're someone who is older than you or in a position of authority. If the other person asks you this question, reply with o kagesama de genki desu, which means "thank you, I'm fine."

Answer the phone with moshi moshi (もしもし). While in English you use the same greeting on the phone that you would in person, Japanese has a different greeting that is exclusively for use on the phone. You say moshi moshi (moh-shee moh-shee) whether you are the caller or the person being called. Never use moshi moshi to greet someone in person. You'll get a strange look from the person you're greeting.Pronunciation Tip: Many Japanese speakers will say this greeting so quickly that it sounds more like "mohsh mohsh," with the last syllable being virtually silent.

Informal Greetings

Use an abbreviated version of konnichiwa around people you know. When you're speaking more rapidly, especially around people you know, it's acceptable not to fully pronounce all the syllables of konnichiwa. The word instead comes out sounding something like "konchiwa." You will hear this abbreviated version particularly in urban areas, such as in Tokyo, where Japanese is typically spoken much more rapidly.

Shorten your greetings among friends and family members. All of the standard Japanese greetings become shortened when you're talking to people your own age or younger, or people you know well. Some shortened greetings include: Ohayō, instead of ohayō gozaimasu, for "good morning" Genki desuka, instead of o genki desu ka, for "how are you" Oyasumi, instead of oyasumi nasai, for "goodnight" (as you're leaving)

Say ossu if you are male and greeting close male friends. Ossu (ohss) is an informal greeting, similar to saying "hey man" or "hey dude" in English. It is used exclusively between male friends and relatives who are around the same age. Ossu is rarely used between female friends, or between friends of different genders.

Greet friends with yaho if you are a young person. Yaho (yah-hoh) is an extremely informal greeting, typically used by girls to greet other girlfriends. Even if you are older, you can still use this greeting among friends if you feel young and hip. Boys and young men more often say yo (yoh) than yaho.Culture Tip: Some Japanese people, and some regions generally, are more formal than others. When in doubt, wait to use slang until the other person has used it first.

Proper Bowing Practices

Accompany your greeting with a bow. Japanese speakers typically bow while saying the word they're using as a greeting as a sign of respect to the person they're greeting. This means you would bow while saying the word konnichiwa – not afterwards. While the Japanese bow can be compared to a handshake in Western culture, typically, in Western culture, you would say "hello" first, then extend your hand for a handshake. This is a key difference in Japanese body language while greeting.

Bend from the waist with a straight back and your arms by your side. Bowing with just your shoulders or your head is seen as rude if you're bowing to someone you don't know, an elder, or an authority figure. Keep your arms straight with the backs of your hands facing the person you're bowing to. When you bow, move at the same pace you normally would. Lean forward, and then raise back up moving at approximately the same speed. Think in terms of how quickly you'd shake someone's hand. Always keep your eyes forward in the direction of your eyes. Try to look to the ground a middle-distance in front of you, or at the feet of the person you're bowing to.

Return any bow you receive. If you make the initial greeting, typically you'll bow first. The other person will then bow as they greet you. However, if the other person greets you and bows first, you are expected to bow in response. A single bow is typically sufficient. If you bow, and then the other person bows in response, there's no need to bow again.Culture Tip: Try to bow slightly lower than the person you're bowing to, particularly if they are a stranger, if they're older than you, or if they're in a position of authority.

Vary the angle of your bow to indicate the level of respect. Japanese culture is hierarchical. How deep you bow indicates the level of formality and social respect for the person to whom you're bowing. In most situations, a 15-degree bow is appropriate. A formal bow of 30 degrees is appropriate if you're greeting someone who is much older than you or has authority over you, such as a boss or a teacher. There are also even deeper bows, up to 45 degrees, but these would generally be reserved for when you meet someone of extremely high rank in society, such as the prime minister or emperor of Japan.

Bow to each member of a group individually. If you are greeting a group of people, it is customary to greet each one of them individually. This means you will also repeat the ritual of the bow with each person. If this seems odd to you, think about what you would do if you were being introduced to a group of business associates in a more formal business setting. You typically would shake hands with each of them as you were told their names. This custom is no different.

Nod your head instead of bowing to close friends your age. When you're greeting close friends, especially if you are younger, there doesn't tend to be as much formality. However, the custom of the bow persists in a respectful nod of the head as you're greeting the person. If you're greeting a friend and they are accompanied by someone you don't know, return to a full bow when you greet that person. To simply nod to them would be considered disrespectful. When in doubt, follow the lead of the other person, especially if you are visiting in Japan. If they nod to you, then you can assume they won't consider it rude if you nod back.