もしもし
moshi moshiphone, standard
On the phone, "hi" in Japanese is もしもし (moshi moshi). It works with friends and family, and it opens most calls. It is also called もしもし、田中です (moshi moshi, Tanaka desu) and やあ (yaa).
Meaning: casual greeting on a call (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| もしもし | moshi moshi | phone, standard |
| もしもし、田中です | moshi moshi, Tanaka desu | introducing yourself |
| やあ | yaa | casual, friends |
After もしもし (moshi moshi), the caller says who they are, for example もしもし、田中です (moshi moshi, Tanaka desu). A close friend might start with やあ (yaa), but もしもし (moshi moshi) is the usual first word.
Which one should you use?
Do not say こんにちは (konnichiwa) as the first word to a friend on the phone. It sounds stiff, though it is fine in business calls.
Did you know?
- In Japan, people say もしもし (moshi moshi) in the same way on mobile phones and landlines, and it is often the only greeting on a casual call.
Examples in context
- もしもし、お母さん?Moshi moshi, okaasan?Hi, Mom?
- もしもし、今いい?Moshi moshi, ima ii?Hi, is now a good time?
- やあ、電話してくれたんだね。Yaa, denwa shite kureta n da ne.Hi, you called me.
Example conversation
Haruto calls his Mother in Osaka.
- Motherもしもし。Moshi moshi.Hello.
- Harutoもしもし、お母さん。元気?Moshi moshi, okaasan. Genki?Hi, Mom. How are you?
- Mother元気だよ。Genki da yo.I am fine.
