How to Say “Thank You for Your Time” in Japanese

By •
お時間をいただきありがとうございます
ojikan o itadaki arigatōgozaimasu
The English phrase "thank you for your time" is translated into Japanese as お時間をいただきありがとうございます (ojikan o itadaki arigatōgozaimasu).
This phrase is a polite expression used to thank someone for spending their time meeting with you or listening to you. It is commonly used in professional settings, such as at the end of a business meeting, an interview or after a presentation.

Which one should you use?

The present tense form お時間をいただきありがとうございます is used to thank someone for the time they are currently giving you or for the general act of meeting. If the meeting or interaction has just concluded, it is more common to change the final verb to the past tense: お時間をいただきありがとうございました.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For more specific formal nuances, you can use お時間をいただき、ありがとうございます to mean "Thank you for giving me your time," お忙しいところ、ありがとうございます to say "Thank you for taking the time despite being busy," or ご多忙中、お時間をいただきまして、ありがとうございます to mean "Thank you for sparing your valuable time even though you are busy." In contrast, for informal situations, you can use 時間を割いてくれてありがとう (Thanks for making time for me) or 時間を取ってくれてありがとうね (Thanks for taking the time, you know).

How do you pronounce it?

ojikan o itadaki arigatōgozaimasu

Did you know?

  • In high-level business contexts, Japanese speakers may omit 'thank you' entirely and use 恐縮です (kyōshuku desu), meaning 'I am filled with constrained humility' for taking your time.
  • If you use the informal version 時間を割いてくれてありがとう (jikan o saite kurete arigatou), the verb 割く (saku) implies the person had to 'carve out' or 'cut' a piece of their time specifically for you.
  • The verb いただく (itadaku) used in the phrase is the humble form of 'to receive', literally framing the other person's time as a gift you are receiving from a higher position.

Examples in context

  • お時間をいただきありがとうございます。
    Thank you for your time.
    This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to say "Thank you for your time."
    Tatoeba #9052485 by small_snow, translation #954312 by CK
  • 本日はお時間をいただきありがとうございます。
    Honjitsu wa o-jikan o itadaki arigatou gozaimasu.
    Thank you for your time today.

Example conversation

Yui is finishing a brief meeting with Hiroto in an office.

  1. 結衣 Yui

    お時間をいただきありがとうございます。
    O-jikan o itadaki arigatou gozaimasu.
    Thank you for your time.
  2. 大翔 Hiroto

    いえいえ、こちらこそ。
    Ie ie, kochira koso.
    No, the pleasure was mine.
  3. 結衣 Yui

    また連絡します。
    Mata renraku shimasu.
    I will contact you again.
  4. 大翔 Hiroto

    はい、お待ちしています。
    Hai, omachi shite imasu.
    Yes, I will be waiting.

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Rosemary Sharon
Rosemary SharonHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top