おはようございます
ohayō gozaimasu[o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥]
The Japanese phrase for "good morning to someone" is おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu).
おはようございます is a polite greeting used when meeting someone in the morning. This greeting is typically used from the early morning until around 10:00 or 11:00 AM.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of おはよう, an adjective meaning early and ございます, which is a polite form of the verb to be.
Which one should you use?
The full version おはようございます is used for superiors or strangers, whereas the shortened form おはよう is used with friends, family or subordinates.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is a fixed expression and does not change its form based on the gender or number of the person being greeted.
How do you pronounce it?
ohayō gozaimasu
Did you know?
- In certain industries like entertainment or hospitality, staff use おはようございます regardless of the actual time of day, even if they are meeting for the first time at night.
- Historically, saying おはようございます was less of a greeting and more of a compliment on the other person's diligence for waking up so early.
- While English speakers might wave, Japanese speakers often pair おはようございます with a bow, where the depth of the bow indicates the social rank of the person being greeted.
Examples in context
- おはようございます。Ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning.
- 先生、おはようございます。Sensei, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, teacher.
- みなさん、おはようございます。Minasan, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, everyone.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari meet at the office entrance.
- 健太 Kentaおはようございます、陽葵さん。Ohayou gozaimasu, Himari-san.Good morning, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himariおはようございます、健太さん。Ohayou gozaimasu, Kenta-san.Good morning, Kenta.
- 健太 Kenta今日はとても寒いですね。Kyou wa totemo samui desu ne.It's very cold today, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himari本当にそうですね。Hontou ni sou desu ne.It really is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おはようございます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
