Good morning in Japanese is おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu), the polite form for teachers, colleagues, neighbours and anyone you do not know well. With family and close friends, shorten it to おはよう (ohayō). Use it until mid-morning; after that, こんにちは (konnichiwa) takes over. To reply, say the same phrase back.
- Polite
- おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu)
- Casual
- おはよう (ohayō)
- Used until
- Roughly 10 or 11 a.m.
- Reply
- The same phrase back
- Level
- A1
Should you say ohayō or ohayō gozaimasu?
Adding ございます is what makes it respectful. Children say おはよう to their parents and おはようございます to their teacher. At work, adults use the full form with most people, including colleagues of their own age.
| Japanese | Romaji | Register | Say it to |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはよう | ohayō | Casual | Family, partners, friends, classmates, younger people |
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Polite | Teachers, bosses, colleagues, neighbours |
| 先生、おはようございます | sensei, ohayō gozaimasu | Polite, with a title | Adding a name or title makes the greeting warmer and more personal |
The phrase comes from 早い (hayai, "early"), so at heart it remarks that it is early. The kanji spelling お早うございます still exists but is rarely seen.
Why do some Japanese workers say ohayō gozaimasu at night?
In some workplaces, notably television, theatre and other entertainment jobs, and in many restaurants and shift jobs, おはようございます is the first greeting of a shift whatever the hour. It marks the start of your working day, not the time on the clock. If colleagues greet you this way at six in the evening, answer in kind.
How does good morning sound in a real Japanese conversation?
Usually brief: both people say it, perhaps with a nod, and maybe add a word about the weather or the day ahead.
「おはようございます。 すみません」 と れんは 言います。 はるかも 「おはようございます」 と 言います。"Ohayō gozaimasu. Sumimasen" to Ren wa iimasu. Haruka mo "ohayō gozaimasu" to iimasu.
おはようございます。今日は寒いですね。
Ohayō gozaimasu. Kyō wa samui desu ne.
Good morning. Cold today, isn't it?
ね at the end invites the other person to agree.
おはよう。よく寝た？
Ohayō. Yoku neta?
Morning. Did you sleep well?
Casual, to family or a partner.
おはようございます。今日もよろしくお願いします。
Ohayō gozaimasu. Kyō mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Good morning. Let's have another good day working together.
A common way to start the working day with colleagues.
The お願いします in that last line is the same word Japanese uses for "please": see how to say please in Japanese.
When does good morning become konnichiwa?
There is no official cut-off. Most people move on to こんにちは somewhere around 10 or 11 o'clock, and certainly by midday. Outside the workplaces above, saying おはようございます to a stranger in the afternoon sounds odd. For every greeting through the day, see how to say hello in Japanese.
- おはよう to a teacher or boss is too casual: add ございます.
- The long vowel matters. おはよう ends in a long ō, so say "oh-hah-yoh" and hold the last sound.
- It only greets. When you part in the morning, you need a goodbye such as じゃあね or 失礼します instead.
Read a free Japanese series at A1 and find おはよう in everyday scenes, with every word one tap from its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce ohayō gozaimasu?
Roughly "oh-hah-yoh go-zai-mass". The final ō of ohayō is long; it is spelled with う but sounds like a held o. The u at the end of gozaimasu is usually so faint that it almost disappears.
Is ohayō written in kanji?
Normally not. おはよう and おはようございます are written in hiragana. The kanji spelling お早う, from 早い (early), exists but is rare in everyday writing.
Can I text ohayō to a friend?
Yes. おはよう on its own is a normal morning message between friends, partners and family.
Is there a Japanese good afternoon?
Not as a separate phrase. こんにちは (konnichiwa) covers the afternoon, and こんばんは (konbanwa) the evening.