お疲れ様でした
otsukaresama deshita
The English phrase "goodbye to your boss" is translated into Japanese as お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita).
お疲れ様でした is a multi-purpose professional greeting that serves as both "hello" and "goodbye" depending on the context of the work cycle. It is a polite expression used when leaving the workplace to acknowledge a colleague's or superior's hard work. Other related professional phrases include 失礼します, which generally means "excuse me" but can also be used to politely say goodbye when leaving someone's presence. お先に失礼します, which means "I'll be leaving before you" and is used to politely excuse oneself from a superior's presence. And 行ってきます, which is used when leaving the office or one's desk to express "I'm off" or "I'll be going now".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from o (an honorific prefix), tsukare (meaning tiredness or fatigue) and sama (an honorific suffix), literally meaning "you are in a state of fatigue".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お疲れ様でした is the standard polite way to address a superior or boss when leaving the office.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense お疲れ様でした is used specifically when the work day or a specific task has concluded, whereas the present tense form お疲れ様です is used when the person's work is still ongoing or as a general greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
otsukaresama deshita
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ご苦労様でした toward your boss. While it also acknowledges work, it is used by a superior toward a subordinate. Using it toward a superior can sound condescending.
Did you know?
- In Japanese corporate culture, saying お疲れ様でした to a boss who is still working can sometimes be seen as an unintentional hint that it is time for them to go home.
- In a Japanese office, you might use お疲れ様です to say 'hello' when passing a colleague in the hallway, even if neither of you is actually tired.
- The grammatical structure relies on the 'stem form' of the verb 疲れる, which is a common way in Japanese to turn an action into a noun-like concept before adding honorifics.
Examples in context
- 失礼します。お世話になりました。Excuse me. I am indebted to you for your kind assistance.
- 行ってきます。また後で戻ります。I'm off. I'll be back later.
- お疲れ様でした。otsukaresama deshita.Thank you for your hard work today.
- 部長、今日はお疲れ様でした。buchou, kyou wa otsukaresama deshita.Manager, thank you for your hard work today.
Example conversation
Hiroto is leaving the office while Misaki is still working.
- 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 work today.
- 美咲 Misakiお疲れ様でした。気をつけて帰ってくださいね。Otsukaresama deshita. Ki o tsukete kaette kudasai ne.Good work. Please get home safely.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 美咲 Misakiまた明日お願いします。Mata ashita onegai shimasu.See you tomorrow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お疲れ様でした, CC BY-SA 4.0.
