Listen to the native speakers greeting each other, and then go ahead and practice saying each Japanese phrase aloud. Once you’re feeling confident, you’ll learn some more informal ways to say hello in Japanese as well.
Resources for further reading:
Saying Hello in Japanese
Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record
Rocket Record lets you perfect your Japanese pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!
今日は
こんにちは
Konnichiwa
Hello / Good day
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おはよう ございます
Ohayō gozaimasu
Good morning
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こんばんは
Konbanwa
Good evening
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Another useful "hello" is used when answering the phone. Remember not to use this in person - this "hello" is only used on the phone:
もしもし
Moshi moshi
“Hello?” (greeting on the phone)
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How about when you haven't seen someone for a long time? Yes, there's a "hello" in Japanese for that too!
お久しぶりです！
おひさし ぶり です！
Ohisashi buri desu!
Long time no see!
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Informal ways to say "hello" in Japanese
Nowadays it is quite common to use short greetings, like “yā” and “yō,” however, it is more common to say nothing between close friends. They just start talking without greetings. Listen to the link below to hear some informal Japanese greetings…
やあ
Yā
Hi (informal)
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よう
Yō
Hey / Yo (informal greeting)
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最近どう
さいきん どう
Saikin dō?
What's up?
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If you want more lessons on Japanese salutations then I recommend that you check out the following:
- How to pronounce different Japanese greetings.
- Japanese Salutations.
- Using polite Japanese words will help in your travels.
Jā matta!
Sayaka Matsuura: Rocket Japanese
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