おはようございます
ohayō gozaimasu[o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥]
The English phrase "hello and good morning" is translated into Japanese as おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu).
In Japanese, おはようございます is used specifically for the first greeting of the day, whereas konnichiwa (hello) is used for the rest of the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The root おはよう is derived from the adjective hayai (early), literally meaning it is early.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
おはようございます is the polite form used when speaking to superiors, teachers, strangers or in professional settings. The phrase おはよう is the casual version and should only be used with friends, family or subordinates.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ございます part of the phrase is a polite auxiliary verb that elevates the level of politeness of the greeting.
Did you know?
- In certain industries, such as the entertainment or food service sectors, staff may use おはようございます regardless of the actual time of day, even if it is 9:00 PM, to signal the start of a work shift.
- When saying おはようございます, it is common to perform a slight bow. The depth of the bow varies depending on the social status of the person being greeted.
- In Japanese manga and anime, characters often shorten おはよう even further to おは (oha) when texting or speaking to extremely close friends.
Examples in context
- おはようございます。Ohayou gozaimasu.Hello and good morning.
- 皆さん、おはようございます。Minasan, ohayou gozaimasu.Hello and good morning, everyone.
- 先生、おはようございます。Sensei, ohayou gozaimasu.Hello and good morning, teacher.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui meet in the hallway at school in the morning.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さん、おはようございます。Yui-san, ohayou gozaimasu.Hello and good morning, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、おはようございます。Ren-kun, ohayou gozaimasu.Hello and good morning, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren今日はいい天気ですね。Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.It is nice weather today, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yuiそうですね！Sou desu ne!It certainly is!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おはようございます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
