こんにちは
konnichiwaneutral
Out loud, こんにちは (konnichiwa) is the all-purpose hello. Say it as ko-n-ni-chi-wa with the stress spread almost evenly. It is also called やあ (yā) and もしもし (moshi moshi).
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | neutral |
| やあ | yā | casual |
| もしもし | moshi moshi | phone |
On the phone, use もしもし (moshi moshi) instead. For friends, やあ (yā) is friendlier.
How do you pronounce it?
Japanese has even rhythm, so each part gets about the same length. Say こん (kon) with a clear "n", then にち (nichi) and わ (wa). The ん (n) counts as its own beat.
Did you know?
- Japanese has no strong stress accent like English, it uses pitch instead.
Examples in context
- こんにちは、はじめまして。Konnichiwa, hajimemashite.Hello, nice to meet you.
- もしもし、田中です。Moshi moshi, Tanaka desu.Hello, this is Tanaka.
Example conversation
Ben practices greetings with his Japanese tutor Ms. Mori.
- Ms. Moriこんにちは、ベンさん。Konnichiwa, Ben-san.Hello, Ben.
- Benこんにちは、先生。Konnichiwa, sensei.Hello, teacher.
- Ms. Moriとても上手ですね。Totemo jōzu desu ne.Very good.
