おはようございます
ohayō gozaimasupolite
Good morning in hiragana is おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) in polite speech and おはよう (ohayō) among friends and family. Both are already written entirely in hiragana in everyday use.
Meaning: morning greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | polite |
| おはよう | ohayō | casual |
Many workplaces use おはようございます all day for the first greeting of the shift, even in the afternoon.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use おはようございます with teachers, coworkers and strangers. Use the short おはよう with family, close friends and children.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as "oh-hah-yoh goh-zah-ee-mahss". The final す is nearly silent, so it sounds like "gozaimas".
Did you know?
- おはよう comes from an older polite phrase meaning "it is early", and ございます was added to make it respectful.
Examples in context
- おはようございます、たなかさん。Ohayō gozaimasu, Tanaka-san.Good morning, Ms. Tanaka.
- おはよう、よくねむれた。Ohayō, yoku nemureta.Morning, did you sleep well.
Example conversation
Mr. Sato arrives at the office and meets his coworker Ms. Tanaka.
- Satoおはようございます。Ohayō gozaimasu.Good morning.
- Tanakaおはようございます、さとうさん。Ohayō gozaimasu, Satō-san.Good morning, Mr. Sato.
- Satoきょうもよろしくおねがいします。Kyō mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.I look forward to working with you again today.
