こんにちは
Konnichiwa
How do you say "Hello / Good afternoon" in Japanese?
The standard daytime greeting. Use from late morning to early evening.
Greetings & Basics
9 phrases
おはようございます
Ohayou gozaimasu
How do you say "Good morning" in Japanese?
Use before ~11 AM. Drop 'gozaimasu' with friends.
こんばんは
Konbanwa
How do you say "Good evening" in Japanese?
Use after dark.
おやすみなさい
Oyasuminasai
How do you say "Good night" in Japanese?
Use before sleeping, not as a greeting. 'Oyasumi' is casual (friends/family).
ありがとうございます
Arigatou gozaimasu
How do you say "Thank you" in Japanese?
Present/future tense — use for things happening now. 'Arigatou gozaimashita' for past actions.
すみません
Sumimasen
How do you say "Excuse me / I'm sorry" in Japanese?
The most useful Japanese word. Works for "excuse me", "sorry" (mild), and "thank you" in service contexts.
はい / いいえ
Hai / Iie
How do you say "Yes / No" in Japanese?
Hai isn't always 'I agree' — it often means 'I hear you'. Iie can feel direct; prefer 'sumimasen' to decline politely.
はじめまして
Hajimemashite
How do you say "Nice to meet you" in Japanese?
Often followed by 'Yoroshiku onegai shimasu' (please treat me well).
また後で
Mata atode
How do you say "See you later" in Japanese?
'Mata ne' is more casual; 'Mata oai shimashou' is more formal.