こんにちは
konnichiwa
In Japanese, a formal hello is こんにちは (konnichiwa).
こんにちは is a common greeting that translates to 'good day' or 'hello'. It is a versatile greeting suitable for both formal and informal situations during the daytime.
Which one should you use?
While こんにちは is used during the day, おはようございます is the appropriate greeting for the morning and こんばんは is the appropriate greeting for the evening.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the word こんにちは, the final syllable is written with the character は (ha) but is pronounced as 'wa' because it functions as a topic marker.
How do you pronounce it?
konnichiwa
When do people say it?
Japanese greetings are often time-specific. Use おはようございます from the morning until around 10 a.m., and こんばんは once the sun sets. When entering an office, a home or a formal establishment, it is customary to say 失礼します, which translates to 'Excuse my intrusion' or 'Sorry for disturbing you'.
Did you know?
- The phrase こんにちは was originally part of a much longer sentence, such as 'Today is a good day', but over time the sentence was shortened until only the first part remained.
- While it is common for English speakers to use 'hello' to start a phone call, using こんにちは on the phone is actually quite rare and can sound unnatural.
- While こんにちは is taught as a standard greeting, using it with close friends or family can actually sound strangely distant or cold.
Examples in context
- こんにちは、お元気ですか？Konnichiwa, o genki desu ka?Hello, how are you?
- こんにちは、いい天気ですね。Konnichiwa, ii tenki desu ne.Hello, the weather is nice, isn't it?
- こんにちは、はじめまして。Konnichiwa, hajimemashite.Hello, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Two neighbors meet on the street during the afternoon.
- 陽太 Yotaこんにちは、陽葵さん。Konnichiwa, Himari-san.Hello, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himariこんにちは、陽太さん。Konnichiwa, Youta-san.Hello, Youta.
- 陽太 Yota今日はとても暑いですね。Kyou wa totemo atsui desu ne.It is very hot today, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、本当にそうですね。Hai, hontou ni sou desu ne.Yes, it really is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry こんにちは, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
