いらっしゃいませ
irasshaimase[iɾa̠ɕːa̠ima̠se̞]
The English phrase "thank you and welcome" can be translated into Japanese as いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase).
いらっしゃいませ is a specific greeting used by staff members to welcome customers into a shop or restaurant.
How do you pronounce it?
irasshaimase
When do people say it?
When a staff member says いらっしゃいませ, customers are not expected to say anything back. While Sumimasen can be used to say thank you when someone offers help or to apologize for inconveniencing someone, and Osewa ni natte orimasu is used to express deep gratitude for someone's ongoing support or assistance, いらっしゃいませ serves specifically as a retail or hospitality welcome.
Did you know?
- If you say ありがとうございます (thank you) back to a staff member after they say いらっしゃいませ, it can actually create an awkward moment. The greeting is a one-way broadcast of hospitality, not a social exchange.
- The final part of the phrase, ませ, is an imperative form. This means the phrase is technically a very polite command to 'please come in'.
- Even if you are the only customer in a massive department store, staff will often shout いらっしゃいませ in unison. It is a signal of readiness and energy rather than a personal greeting to a specific individual.
Examples in context
- いらっしゃいませ、何名様ですか？Irasshaimase, nan-mei sama desu ka?Welcome, how many people are in your party?
- いらっしゃいませ、こちらへどうぞ。Irasshaimase, kochira e douzo.Welcome, please come this way.
Example conversation
Himari is working at a cafe and welcomes Daigaku.
- 陽葵 Himariいらっしゃいませ！Irasshaimase!Welcome!
- 大翔 Hirotoこんにちは。Konnichiwa.Hello.
- 陽葵 Himariお好きな席へどうぞ。Osukina seki e douzo.Please take any seat you like.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry いらっしゃいませ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries いらっしゃいませ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
