おはようございます
ohayō gozaimasu[o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥]polite
In Japanese, 'good morning' is expressed as おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu). Wiktionary also lists おはよう (ohayō) and おはようさん (ohayō san).
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | [o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥] (narrow) | polite |
| おはよう | ohayō | [o̞ha̠jo̞ː] (narrow) | informal |
| おはようさん | ohayō san | Kansai |
This phrase is used specifically for the first greeting of the day, typically when seeing someone for the first time in the morning.
Which one should you use?
The full form おはようございます is the standard polite version. The shortened form おはよう is used in informal settings. おはようさん is a regional variation used in the Kansai area.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use the full form おはようございます when speaking to superiors, teachers or strangers to be polite. Use the shortened form おはよう with friends, family or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
ohayō gozaimasu
Did you know?
- In Japanese workplaces, it is common to say おはようございます to a colleague even if it is 8 p.m. or midnight, as long as it is the first time you have seen them for that shift.
- The word おはよう is actually a linguistic fossil. It preserves an ancient grammatical ending that has disappeared from almost all other modern Japanese adjectives.
- Japanese people often accompany おはようございます with a slight bow, the depth of which changes depending on the social rank of the person they are greeting.
Examples in context
- おはよう諸君。Good morning, everybody.This example shows how to use おはよう to address a group.Tatoeba #10908791 by small_snow, translation #22122 by CK
- 皆さんおはよう。Good morning, everyone.This example shows how to use おはよう to address everyone.Tatoeba #184991 by bunbuku, translation #22127 by CK
- トム、おはよう。Good morning, Tom.This example shows how to use おはよう when addressing a person by name.Tatoeba #10033367 by small_snow, translation #2549163 by CK
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman and a man meet at their office in the morning.
- 美咲 Misakiおはようございます、陽太さん。Ohayou gozaimasu, Youta-san.Good morning, Youta.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さん、おはようございます。Misaki-san, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misaki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?
- 陽太 Yotaそうですね、大変です。Sou desu ne, taihen desu.That's true, it is tough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations and entries おはようございます, おはよう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries おはよう, おはようございます, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
