先生、こんにちは
sensei, konnichiwa
先生、こんにちは (sensei, konnichiwa) is the way to say "hello teacher" in Japanese.
This phrase is a polite greeting used when addressing a teacher. In Japanese, it is common to use the title 先生 (sensei) as a direct address instead of using a name or a pronoun like "you". When referring to a teacher or addressing them directly, you can also add -sensei to their name. If you are entering a teacher's office or a classroom, you should instead use しつれいします (shitsurei shimasu) to mean "excuse me" or to acknowledge you are being rude by interrupting.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 先生 (sensei) literally means "one who has come before" and is a title used for teachers, doctors and masters of a craft. The second part, こんにちは (konnichiwa), means "hello" or "good afternoon".
Which one should you use?
The choice of greeting depends on the time of day.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the word こんにちは, the particle wa is written with the character は (ha) but is pronounced as "wa".
How do you pronounce it?
sensei, konnichiwa
Did you know?
- Calling a teacher あなた (anata), which means 'you', can be perceived as confrontational or rude despite being a standard pronoun.
- While 先生 is used for teachers, it is also the standard title for lawyers, politicians and authors in Japan.
- The word こんにちは (konnichiwa) is actually a fragment of a longer, older greeting that used to include a verb, such as 'Today is a good day'.
Examples in context
- 先生、こんにちは。Hello teacher!This sentence is useful for practicing the full phrase 先生、こんにちは.Tatoeba #13259054 by atitarev, translation #8866026 by moxy
- 先生、こんにちは。お元気ですか？Sensei, konnichiwa. O-genki desu ka?Hello, teacher. How are you?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students meet their teacher in the hallway.
- 結衣 Yui先生、こんにちは。Sensei, konnichiwa.Hello teacher.
- 陽太 Yotaこんにちは。二人とも元気か？Konnichiwa. Futari tomo genki ka?Hello. Are you two doing well?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、元気です！Hai, genki desu!Yes, I am!
- 陽太 Yotaそれは良かった。Sore wa yokatta.That is good to hear.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
