“Konnichiwa” & More Ways Of Saying Hello In Japanese

When you’re in the fruit aisle of your favorite supermarket and you’re confused about what type of mango you should get, you can always ask someone around you about your mango dilemma. Although, it might be best if you ask the first supermarket employee you can find as they might know a thing or two about the differences between the mangos the store offers. Or you can also ask the supermarket stranger next to you and possibly start a friendly exchange about which variety of mango is better and which one they recommend. Bear in mind that when you ask your question, you should always begin your conversation with a kind hello.

A hello greeting to anyone is always appreciated as there’s something about this word that feels nice and warm and welcoming. The same sentiment is even shared all over the world, especially in Japan where saying hello is a sign of respect. Mind you, there are many ways of saying hello in Japanese, each with a particular level of formality. Would you like to know the many ways of saying hello in Japanese? Read on!

• (formal) Hello: こんにちは (konnichiwa)
• Excuse me: すみません (sumimasen)
• (casual) Yo: よ (yo)
• (informal) Hi: やあ (yaa)
• (informal) Good morning: おはよう (ohayou)
• (formal) Good morning: おはようございます(ohayou gozaimasu)
• (formal) Good evening: こんばんは (konbawa)
• (casual) Hey: おす (ossu)
• (casual) Yoohoo: ヤッホ (ya-ho)
• I’m home: ただいま (tadaima)
• Long time no see: お久しぶりですね (o-hisashiburi desu ne)
• How are you: お元気ですか (O-genki desu ka)
• How’s it going: 調子はどうですか (Choushi wa dou desu ka)
• Welcome: いらっしゃいませ (Irasshaimase)
• (on the phone) Hello: もしもし (moshi moshi)
• (casual) What’s up: どうも (domo)
• (casual) Hey: おーい (oi)