いらっしゃいませ
irasshaimase[iɾa̠ɕːa̠ima̠se̞]
いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase) is the Japanese phrase for hello welcome.
いらっしゃいませ is a standard greeting used exclusively by staff to welcome customers entering a store or restaurant.
Which one should you use?
The shorter form いらっしゃい is used by shopkeepers in much more casual settings, such as small street stalls or markets, whereas いらっしゃいませ is the standard polite version used in stores and restaurants.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is a fixed set expression and does not change its form based on the number of customers or the time of day.
How do you pronounce it?
irasshaimase
When do people say it?
Customers are not expected to respond verbally to this greeting. A simple nod or ignoring it is the standard social etiquette.
Did you know?
- Because いらっしゃいませ is a specialized service phrase, using it to welcome a guest into your own home would sound like you are running a business.
- While it sounds like a welcoming greeting, いらっしゃいませ is grammatically an imperative command, essentially telling the customer 'please come in'.
- In certain energetic environments like sushi restaurants, chefs may shout いらっしゃいませ to create an atmosphere of excitement and vitality.
Examples in context
- いらっしゃいませ、何名様ですか？irasshaimase, nanmei sama desu ka?Welcome, how many people are in your party?
- お店に入ると、「いらっしゃいませ」と聞こえます。Omise ni hairu to, "irasshaimase" to kikoemasu.When you enter a shop, you hear "welcome."
Example conversation
Yui enters a small clothing boutique where Ren works.
- 蓮 Renいらっしゃいませ！Irasshaimase!Welcome!
- 結衣 Yuiこんにちは。Konnichiwa.Hello.
- 蓮 Ren何かお探しですか？Nanika osagashi desu ka?Are you looking for something?
- 結衣 Yuiいいえ、見てるだけです。Iie, miteru dake desu.No, I'm just looking.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry いらっしゃいませ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
