おはようございます
ohayō gozaimasu[o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥]
The Japanese phrase for "good morning to you" is おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu).
This greeting is used from sunrise until around 10:00 or 11:00 AM.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is derived from the adjective for early, essentially meaning "it is early" as a greeting.
Which one should you use?
The shortened form おはよう is used with friends and family, whereas おはようございます is the polite version used with superiors or strangers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ございます part is a polite auxiliary verb that adds a level of formality to the greeting.
Did you know?
- In some Japanese workplaces, employees use おはようございます even if they meet for the first time at 8:00 PM, because it serves as the greeting for the start of the work day.
- The root word 早い (hayai), meaning 'early', is also the word used to describe a 'fast' person in terms of speed.
- In the anime and manga industry, it is common to see characters use おはよう to signal a shift in their relationship from formal to intimate.
Examples in context
- 先生、おはようございます。Sensei, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, teacher.
- 今日はとても早いですね。おはようございます。Kyou wa totemo hayai desu ne. Ohayou gozaimasu.You are very early today. Good morning.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Yota meet at the office in the morning.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さん、おはようございます。Yōta-san, ohayō gozaimasu.Good morning, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaおはようございます、陽葵さん。Ohayō gozaimasu, Hiyori-san.Good morning, Hiyori.
- 陽葵 Himari今日は早いですね。Kyō wa hayai desu ne.You're early today.
- 陽太 Yotaはい、仕事がたくさんありますから。Hai, shigoto ga takusan arimasu kara.Yes, because I have a lot of work.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おはようございます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
