ただいま
tadaima
In Japanese, "I have returned" is expressed as ただいま (tadaima).
This phrase is used specifically to announce your arrival when returning to your home or a home base. It is not used for a general sense of "I am here".
What does it mean word for word?
The expression ただいま is a shortened version of tadaima kaerimashita, which literally means "I have just now returned". The term ただいま itself means "just now".
Which one should you use?
The form ただいま is an informal expression for "I'm back!" when arriving home. For a more complete and formal way to say "I have just returned now," you can use the phrase ただいま戻りました.
How do you pronounce it?
tadaima
When do people say it?
When someone announces their arrival using ただいま, the polite response from those already at home is おかえりなさい (welcome back).
Did you know?
- In Japanese media, such as anime or literature, characters often say ただいま to an empty house or to a person who has passed away. This usage highlights a profound sense of loneliness and an inability to let go of the past.
- The response おかえりなさい is rooted in the idea of 'returning' to a place of belonging, which is why it is used even if the person has only been gone for a few minutes.
- In some traditional Japanese households, the phrase ただいま is spoken while still outside the door or in the entryway to signal the transition from the public world to the private sanctuary.
Examples in context
- ただいま戻りました。お待たせしましたか？I have just returned. Did you wait long?
- ただいま！ごはんの準備はできてる？I'm back! Is dinner ready?
- ただいま戻りました。Tadaima modorimashita.I have returned.
- ただいま帰りました。Tadaima kaerimashita.I am back.
Example conversation
Misaki arrives home after work and greets Hinata.
- 美咲 Misakiただいま！Tadaima!I'm home!
- 陽太 Yotaおかえり、美咲。Okaeri, Misaki.Welcome back, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misaki今日も疲れたよ。Kyou mo tsukareta yo.I'm tired today too.
- 陽太 Yotaお疲れ様。ゆっくり休んで。Otsukaresama. Yukkuri yasunde.Good job today. Get some rest.
