こんばんは
konbanwastandard, evening
A casual "hi" at night is やあ (yā) among friends, while the usual evening greeting is こんばんは (konbanwa). Colleagues leaving work late may say おつかれ (otsukare).
Meaning: casual evening greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| こんばんは | konbanwa | standard, evening |
| やあ | yā | casual |
| おつかれ | otsukare | casual, after work |
こんばんは (konbanwa) is polite and safe. やあ (yā) is a light "hey" that works at any hour. おつかれ (otsukare) is a short form of おつかれさま (otsukaresama), said to a coworker after a long day.
Which one should you use?
There is no special casual word that only means "hi" at night. Most people shorten the greeting or use やあ (yā).
Did you know?
- The expression おつかれさま (otsukaresama) is widely used in Japanese offices as a greeting between colleagues.
Examples in context
- やあ、こんな時間にどうしたの？Yā, konna jikan ni dō shita no?Hi, what brings you here at this hour?
- こんばんは。Konbanwa.Good evening.
- おつかれ、また明日。Otsukare, mata ashita.Good work today, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Two coworkers, Saki and Jun, meet at a convenience store late at night.
- Junやあ、サキ。Yā, Saki.Hi, Saki.
- Sakiあ、ジュン。こんばんは。A, Jun. Konbanwa.Oh, Jun. Good evening.
- Jun遅くまでおつかれ。Osoku made otsukare.You worked late too.
