Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | [o̞ha̠jo̞ː ɡo̞za̠ima̠sɨ̥] (narrow) | polite |
| おはよう | ohayō | [o̞ha̠jo̞ː] (narrow) | informal |
| おはようさん | ohayō san | Kansai |
This phrase is used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning. In many Japanese workplaces, おはようございます is used as a standard greeting even if it is not the first time you have seen the person that day, provided it is the first time you are greeting them for the work shift. Japanese people typically use formal greetings until around 10 a.m.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of おはよう and the polite ending ございます, which is a polite ending that adds respect to the phrase.
Which one should you use?
The short form おはよう is used for informal situations, while the full form おはようございます (and its alternative spelling お早うございます) is the polite version. For an even more informal and cheerful way to greet someone, you can use おっはよ～.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use the full form おはようございます with teachers, bosses, strangers or anyone to whom you want to show respect. Use the short form おはよう with friends, family or subordinates.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form おはようさん is a characteristic way to say good morning in the Kansai region.
How do you pronounce it?
ohayō gozaimasu
When do people say it?
When greeting someone in the morning, it is common to give a slight bow or nod along with your verbal expression.
Did you know?
- In certain industries, such as theater or entertainment, おはようございます is used as the first greeting of the day regardless of the actual hour, even if it is midnight.
- The phrase おはよう is an archaic form of the adverb 'early'. While most Japanese adverbs today end in く, this greeting preserves an ancient う ending.
- While the phrase is used to say 'good morning', the literal core of the word おはよう refers to the concept of being 'early'.
Examples in context
- おはよう諸君。Good morning, everybody.This sentence is useful for greeting a group of people using the informal おはよう.Tatoeba #10908791 by small_snow, translation #22122 by CK
- 皆さんおはよう。Good morning, everyone.This sentence is useful for greeting everyone using the informal おはよう.Tatoeba #184991 by bunbuku, translation #22127 by CK
- トム、おはよう。Good morning, Tom.This sentence is useful for greeting a specific person using the informal おはよう.Tatoeba #10033367 by small_snow, translation #2549163 by CK
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At the office entrance before work starts.
- 大翔 Hirotoおはようございます。Ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔さん、おはようございます。Hiroto-san, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto今日はいい天気ですね。Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.The weather is nice today, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、本当にそうですね。Hai, hontou ni sou desu ne.Yes, it really is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations and entries おはようございます, おはよう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries おはよう, おはようございます, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
