Nice to meet you in Japanese takes two phrases: はじめまして (hajimemashite) to open a first meeting, then your name, then よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) to close. Together: はじめまして、エマです。よろしくお願いします。 Among friends, a casual よろしく (yoroshiku) alone is enough; in business, say the fuller どうぞよろしくお願いいたします.
- Opening
- はじめまして (hajimemashite)
- Closing
- よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu)
- Casual
- よろしく (yoroshiku)
- Reply
- こちらこそ (kochira koso)
- Level
- A1
What do hajimemashite and yoroshiku really mean?
はじめまして comes from 初めて (hajimete), "for the first time": roughly "this is our first meeting". It is said once, at the start. よろしくお願いします has no English equivalent. It asks the other person to look kindly on you and on whatever you will do together, so it closes the introduction and sets up the relationship.
| Japanese | Romaji | Register | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Polite, neutral | The opening line of any first meeting |
| よろしく(ね) | yoroshiku (ne) | Casual | Students, friends of friends |
| よろしくお願いします | yoroshiku onegai shimasu | Polite | The default closing line |
| どうぞよろしくお願いします | dōzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu | More polite | A teacher, a partner's parents |
| どうぞよろしくお願いいたします | dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu | Formal | Business, interviews, speeches |
| お会いできて嬉しいです | oai dekite ureshii desu | Polite | "I'm glad to meet you", for someone you've heard about |
Is yoroshiku only for first meetings?
No, and that is what surprises learners. Japanese speakers say よろしくお願いします whenever a working relationship starts or restarts: on the first day of a job, at the beginning of a project, when asking a favour, and at the start of each new year.
「よろしく お願い します」 と 美咲 は 毎日 近所 の 人 に あいさつ した。"Yoroshiku onegai shimasu" to Misaki wa mainichi kinjo no hito ni aisatsu shita.
今日からよろしくお願いします。
Kyō kara yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
I look forward to working with you from today.
First day at a new job.
今年もよろしくお願いします。
Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Here's to another year together.
In New Year greetings.
How do you reply when someone says hajimemashite?
Mirror it: say はじめまして back, give your own name, and finish with よろしくお願いします. If they have already said よろしく, answer with こちらこそ (kochira koso), "the pleasure is mine".
はじめまして。田中です。
Hajimemashite. Tanaka desu.
Nice to meet you. I'm Tanaka.
こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。
Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Likewise, nice to meet you.
お話はよく聞いています。
Ohanashi wa yoku kiite imasu.
I've heard a lot about you.
For the middle part, see how to say "my name is" in Japanese.
Which first-meeting habits should you know?
- Bow as you say はじめまして. A small nod from the neck is fine socially; a deeper bow from the waist suits business.
- Business cards (名刺, meishi) are given and received with both hands. Read the card for a moment before putting it away.
- Use はじめまして only once. Meeting the same person again, say こんにちは or 先日はありがとうございました ("thanks for the other day").
- Leaving, don't repeat はじめまして. Say お会いできてよかったです ("it was good to meet you").
Read free Japanese chapters at A1 and see how characters greet each other, with every word one tap away.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce hajimemashite?
"Hah-jee-meh-mash-teh". The i after sh is barely voiced, so it sounds like four beats rather than five.
How do you say "nice to meet you too" in Japanese?
こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします (kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu). Casually, こちらこそ、よろしく.
How do you say "it was nice meeting you" when leaving?
お会いできてよかったです (oai dekite yokatta desu). After a business meeting, 本日はありがとうございました (honjitsu wa arigatō gozaimashita) is common.
Can you text yoroshiku?
Yes. よろしく or よろしくね ends many casual messages that ask for something, a bit like "thanks in advance". In work emails, write よろしくお願いいたします.