お元気でお過ごしのことと思います
ogenki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu
The English phrase "I hope all is well" can be expressed in Japanese as お元気でお過ごしのことと思います (ogenki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu).
This phrase serves as a polite opening salutation in formal letters and emails. It typically appears after the initial greeting and the recipient's name to express a wish that the recipient is doing well.
What does it mean word for word?
The middle part of the phrase, お過ごしのこと, refers to the fact that you are spending or passing your time.
Which one should you use?
While お元気でお過ごしのことと思います is a standard formal opening, お元気でしょうか is another formal way to express "I hope all is well". For casual settings, you can use the informal 元気かな to mean "I hope all is well" or the informal 元気？ to ask "Are you well?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form お元気でお過ごしのことと思います is highly formal and is suitable for business correspondence or writing to someone of higher status. お元気でしょうか is also formal. In contrast, 元気かな and 元気？ are informal.
How do you pronounce it?
ogenki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu
Did you know?
- In formal Japanese letters, the phrase お元気でお過ごしのことと思います is often preceded by a seasonal greeting that mentions specific weather or plants to establish harmony with nature.
- The word 元気 ('genki') is composed of characters meaning 'origin' and 'spirit', suggesting that being 'well' is fundamentally about having a strong life force.
- In business emails, Japanese people often skip the personal 'hope all is well' sentiment entirely and use the fixed phrase お世話になっております ('thank you for your support') as the primary opening.
Examples in context
- 皆様、お元気でお過ごしのことと思います。Minasama, o genki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu.I hope everyone is doing well.
- 田中様もお元気でお過ごしのことと思います。Tanaka-sama mo o genki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu.I hope Mr. Tanaka is also doing well.
Example conversation
Yuta is writing a formal email to Yui, an old acquaintance.
- 陽太 Yota結衣さんもお元気でお過ごしのことと思います。Yui-san mo o genki de osugoshi no koto to omoimasu.I hope you are doing well, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さん、ご連絡ありがとうございます。Yota-san, gorenraku arigatou gozaimasu.Yuta, thank you for contacting me.
- 陽太 Yota最近はいかがお過ごしですか？Saikin wa ikaga osugoshi desu ka?How have you been lately?
- 結衣 Yuiおかげさまで、元気にしています。Okagesama de, genki ni shite imasu.Thanks to you, I am doing well.
