Which one should you use?
While both お疲れ様です and ご苦労様です can mean "thank you for your hard work", ご苦労様です is used by a superior to a subordinate. To show proper respect to a boss, you should use お疲れ様です.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite form is お疲れ様です. You can make the phrase informal by dropping the desu at the end to say お疲れ様, but this should only be used with close colleagues or subordinates, not with your boss. If you need to express formal gratitude, you might use ありがとうございます (thank you) or 感謝しています (I am grateful). For example, you can say [Boss's Family Name] shachou, arigatou gozaimasu to say "Thank you, President [Boss's Last Name]."
How does it change in a sentence?
You should use the past tense form お疲れ様でした instead of お疲れ様です when the work or task being acknowledged is completely finished.
How do you pronounce it?
otsukaresama desu
Did you know?
- The phrase is so ingrained in corporate culture that it is frequently used as the opening line in professional emails, serving as a polite social lubricant before the main topic.
- The phrase お疲れ様です literally translates to 'you are a state of fatigue', which sounds strange in English but is a standard way to acknowledge effort in Japan.
- In Japanese office culture, お疲れ様です functions as a versatile 'social lubricant' that can serve as a greeting when passing someone in a hallway, not just as a thank you.
Examples in context
- お疲れ様です。Otsukaresama desu.Good job today.
- 部長、お疲れ様です。Bucho, otsukaresama desu.Good work today, Manager.
- 今日も一日、お疲れ様です。Kyo mo ichinichi, otsukaresama desu.Thank you for your hard work all day today.
Example conversation
Kenta is leaving the office for the day and speaks to Himari, his colleague.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さん、お疲れ様です。Kenta-san, otsukaresama desu.Good work today, Kenta.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さんも、お疲れ様です。Himari-san mo, otsukaresama desu.Good work today too, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari明日もよろしくお願いします。Ashita mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.See you tomorrow.
- 健太 Kentaはい、お疲れ様でした。Hai, otsukaresama deshita.Yes, goodbye.
