What does it mean word for word?
The phrase お疲れ様でした literally means 'you are a person who has become tired/exhausted' in a respectful way, acknowledging the effort that was put in.
Which one should you use?
The past tense form お疲れ様でした is used specifically when the work or the day is finished. In contrast, the present tense form お疲れ様です is used more generally during the workday to acknowledge ongoing work or as a standard greeting or farewell.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase informal and suitable for use with close colleagues or subordinates, you can drop the でした to say お疲れ様.
How do you pronounce it?
otsukaresama deshita
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ご苦労様でした. While it may seem similar, gokurousama is used by superiors to subordinates and can sound condescending if you use it toward a peer or a boss.
When do people say it?
When a colleague says お疲れ様でした to you as you are leaving, the standard response is to say it back to them.
Did you know?
- The phrase お疲れ様 is so central to Japanese work life that it is frequently used as a toast when drinking beer after work with colleagues.
- While お疲れ様です is a farewell, it also functions as a versatile greeting used to start a phone call or an email to a colleague, effectively replacing 'hello'.
- In some corporate cultures, employees may feel a social pressure to stay at their desks until their boss says お疲れ様でした and leaves first.
Examples in context
- お疲れ様でした。Otsukaresama deshita.Good job today.
- 皆さん、お疲れ様でした！Minasan, otsukaresama deshita!Good work, everyone!
Example conversation
Daigaku is leaving the office for the day.
- 大翔 Hirotoお先に失礼します。お疲れ様でした。Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu. Otsukaresama deshita.I'm leaving now. Good job today.
- 美咲 Misakiお疲れ様でした！気をつけて帰ってください。Otsukaresama deshita! Ki o tsukete kaette kudasai.Good job! Get home safely.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
- 美咲 Misakiまた明日ね。Mata ashita ne.See you tomorrow.
