今日は
konnichi wa[kõ̞ɲ̟ːit͡ɕiβ̞a̠]
The English phrase hello is translated into Japanese as 今日は (konnichi wa). If unsure, use 今日は. Wiktionary also lists 今晩は (konban wa).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 今日は | konnichi wa | [kõ̞ɲ̟ːit͡ɕiβ̞a̠] (narrow) |
| 今晩は | konban wa | [kõ̞mbã̠ɰ̃β̞a̠] (narrow) |
今日は is a common formal way to say hello or good day throughout the day. For specific times of day, you might use other greetings: おはようございます is a polite way to say good morning used specifically until around 10 AM and はじめまして is used when meeting someone for the first time.
Which one should you use?
While 今日は is used during the day, 今晩は is used specifically in the evening to say good evening.
How does it change in a sentence?
In both 今日は and 今晩は, the は is a topic marker particle. This is why these words are written with the hiragana character は (ha) instead of わ (wa).
How do you pronounce it?
konnichi wa
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'hello' to answer the phone, in Japanese, you would typically use もしもし instead of 今日は.
- In Japan, saying 今日は is almost always accompanied by a bow. The depth and duration of the bow change depending on the social status of the person being greeted.
- The greeting 今日は is literally 'As for today', making it a fragment of a thought rather than a complete word like the English 'hello'.
Examples in context
- 今日は。Hello!This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting 今日は.Tatoeba #778577 by marloncori, translation #373330 by CK
Example conversation
Yui and Ren meet on the street during the day.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さん、今日は！Ren-san, konnichiwa!Hello, Ren!
- 蓮 Renあ、結衣さん、今日は。A, Yui-san, konnichiwa.Oh, hello, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiどこへ行くんですか？Doko e iku n desu ka?Where are you going?
- 蓮 Ren駅まで行きます。Eki made ikimasu.I'm going to the station.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries 今日は, 今晩は, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 今日は, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
