The standard way to say hello in Japanese is こんにちは (konnichiwa), used from late morning until early evening. Earlier in the day, greet people with おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu); after dark, switch to こんばんは (konbanwa). On the phone, say もしもし (moshi moshi). To return any of these greetings, simply say the same words back.
- Daytime
- こんにちは (konnichiwa)
- Morning
- おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu)
- Evening
- こんばんは (konbanwa)
- Phone
- もしもし (moshi moshi)
- Level
- A1
Which Japanese hello fits the time of day?
Japanese has no single all-day hello. The greeting changes with the clock, and こんにちは covers the long middle stretch. There is no exact switchover time; people go by feel.
| Japanese | Romaji | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Morning | Polite; just おはよう with friends and family |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Late morning to early evening | Neutral; suits strangers, neighbours and acquaintances |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | After dark | Neutral evening greeting |
| もしもし | moshi moshi | Phone calls | Opening a call, or checking the other person can still hear you |
| みなさん、こんにちは | minasan, konnichiwa | Speaking to a group | "Hello, everyone": teachers, speeches, videos |
Like こんにちは, こんばんは ends in the particle は, pronounced wa. Both began as the opening words of longer greetings: 今日は ("as for today…") and 今晩は ("as for this evening…"). For the morning greeting in detail, see how to say good morning in Japanese.
Do Japanese friends say konnichiwa to each other?
Not often. こんにちは keeps a little distance, so it suits neighbours, shopkeepers and people you know slightly. Between close friends it can sound oddly stiff, and family members at home hardly ever say it to each other.
どうも。
Dōmo.
Hi.
A light, all-purpose hello, often with a nod, to someone you know a little.
おっす。
Ossu.
Hey.
Very casual, mostly between young men.
お疲れ様です。
Otsukaresama desu.
Hello (thanks for your hard work).
The all-purpose greeting between colleagues at work.
元気？
Genki?
You OK? / How's it going?
Casual, to a friend you have not seen for a bit.
Among friends, the greeting is often just a name, a wave, or a jump straight into conversation. For checking in on someone, see how to say 'How are you?' in Japanese.
How do you reply when someone says hello in Japanese?
Echo it. If someone says こんにちは, say こんにちは back, usually with a small nod or bow. The same goes for おはようございます and こんばんは.
先生、 こんにちは。 私は コンビニで 働いています。Sensei, konnichiwa. Watashi wa konbini de hataraite imasu.
In shops you will hear いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase, "welcome") as you walk in. That one needs no answer: customers usually carry on browsing, or nod. For other ways to welcome people, and to answer thanks, see how to say you're welcome in Japanese.
What mistakes do learners make with konnichiwa?
- Writing it こんにちわ. The final character is は, the topic particle, even though it is pronounced wa.
- Using it first thing in the morning. Before about 10 or 11 o'clock, おはようございます is the natural choice.
- Greeting the same colleagues with it every day. At work, お疲れ様です does that job.
- Answering the phone with it. Callers open with もしもし, and businesses usually answer with the company name.
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How do you pronounce konnichiwa?
Give it five even beats: ko-n-ni-chi-wa. The double n is held slightly, so it is not "ko-nee-chee-wa". Japanese gives syllables roughly equal length and stress, so avoid hitting one harder than the others.
Is konnichiwa written in kanji?
It can be written 今日は, but that spelling is uncommon because the same characters also read kyō wa, "today" plus the topic particle. For the greeting, hiragana こんにちは is standard.
What does moshi moshi mean?
もしもし is the hello you use on the phone, roughly "hello, are you there?". People also say it when the line goes quiet and they are not sure the other person can still hear them.
How do you say hello to a group in Japanese?
Say みなさん、こんにちは (minasan, konnichiwa), "hello, everyone". Teachers, presenters and video makers use it. In the morning, swap in おはようございます; in the evening, こんばんは.