Meeting People: Self-Introduction & Greetings

1. Essential Japanese Greetings (あいさつ - aisatsu) - A Deeper Dive

Greetings (あいさつ - aisatsu) are absolutely crucial for polite communication in Japanese culture. They are used not only for acknowledging someone's presence but also for setting a tone of respect and consideration. It's important to remember that Japanese emphasizes context and formality more than English, so paying attention to the nuances of each greeting is key.

Japanese Phrase	Romanization (Romaji)	Meaning / Usage	Level of Formality	Notes
おはようございます	Ohayou gozaimasu	Good morning. (Used until around noon)	Formal	The shorter version, おはよう (ohayou), is used amongst close friends and family. Never use it to your boss or teacher! The gozaimasu adds politeness.
こんにちは	Konnichiwa	Good afternoon / Hello. (General daytime greeting)	Polite	This is a versatile greeting, but it's generally used during daylight hours.
こんばんは	Konbanwa	Good evening. (Used from dusk onwards)	Polite	Similar to konnichiwa, this greeting is suitable for a range of situations in the evening.
おやすみなさい	Oyasuminasai	Good night. (Used when parting for the night)	Formal	The less formal version, おやすみ (oyasumi), can be used with family and close friends. It literally means "rest."
さようなら	Sayounara	Goodbye. (More formal/final. Often shorter forms used informally)	Formal	This greeting carries a sense of finality and is used when you don't expect to see someone for a long time. There are many less formal alternatives.
じゃあね	Jaa ne	See you later / Bye. (Informal)	Informal	A very common and casual way to say goodbye to friends.
またね	Mata ne	See you later / Bye. (Informal)	Informal	Similar to jaa ne, this is a very common way to say goodbye, implying you will see them again.
すみません	Sumimasen	Excuse me / I'm sorry / Thank you. (Very versatile)	Polite	This is an incredibly useful phrase. It can be used to apologize for a minor inconvenience, to get someone's attention, or even to express thanks for a small favor. It conveys a sense of acknowledging the other person.
ありがとう	Arigatou	Thank you. (Informal)	Informal	Use this with close friends and family. It's a simplified version of arigatou gozaimasu.
ありがとうございます	Arigatou gozaimasu	Thank you very much. (Formal)	Formal	This is the standard, polite way to say "thank you." It's appropriate for most situations.
どうも	Doumo	Thanks / Hello / Goodbye (Very Informal)	Very Informal	Doumo is very versatile but can be confusing. It's a shortened version of many phrases, and it should mostly be used with very close friends in casual situations. It's often used quickly in passing as a simple acknowledgement.
いただきます	Itadakimasu	Thank you for the meal (said before eating).	Polite/Neutral	Said before starting a meal to express gratitude for the food. There's no direct English translation, but it carries the meaning of "I humbly receive."
ごちそうさまでした	Gochisousama deshita	Thank you for the meal (said after eating).	Polite/Neutral	Said after finishing a meal to express thanks for the meal. It literally means "it was a feast."

Practice Quiz: Matching Greetings to Situations

Match the following greetings to the most appropriate situation:

You are leaving your friend's house after visiting for the afternoon.
You bump into someone on the street.
You are about to eat dinner.
You are meeting your professor for the first time.
You are saying goodbye to a coworker at the end of the day, but you will see them tomorrow.

a) Sumimasen b) Jaa ne / Mata ne c) Itadakimasu d) Ohayou gozaimasu / Konnichiwa, Hajimemashite e) Arigatou gozaimasu, Gochisousama deshita

Answer

1. b, 2. a, 3. c, 4. d, 5. b

2. Introducing Yourself (自己紹介 - Jikoshoukai): Building Confidence

Introducing yourself (自己紹介 - jikoshoukai) goes beyond simply stating your name. It's about creating a positive first impression and establishing a connection. Mastering these phrases will make you feel more comfortable and confident in Japanese conversations.

はじめまして (Hajimemashite) - Nice to meet you (for the first time).
- Pronunciation: "ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te"
- This is a standard opening line, showing politeness and respect. There isn't a direct equivalent in English that captures the same nuance.
- It’s only used the very first time you meet someone.
[Your Name] です。 ([Your Name] desu.) - I am [Your Name].
- Pronunciation: "[Your Name] des." (The 'u' in 'desu' is often very light, almost silent)
- This is the simplest way to state your name. Desu is a polite copula (linking verb), similar to "is" in English.
- Example: ジョンです。 (Jon desu.) - I am John.
- Alternatively, you can use わたしは [Your Name] です。 (Watashi wa [Your Name] desu.)
  - わたし (watashi) - I / Me
  - は (wa) - A particle indicating the topic of the sentence. In this case, it marks "I" as the topic. Wa is written as は but pronounced as wa in this context because it is a topic marker particle.
  - Pronunciation: "wa-ta-shi wa [Your Name] des."
  - Example: わたしはメアリーです。 (Watashi wa Mearii desu.) - I am Mary.
  - Using わたしは (watashi wa) emphasizes "I" as the subject. It can be helpful when clarifying who you are in a group. However, it's often omitted in casual conversation because it's implied.
よろしくおねがいします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu) - Please treat me well / Nice to meet you (a general polite closing).
- Pronunciation: "yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-gai-shi-ma-su"
- This phrase is very important and frequently used. It conveys a sense of hoping for a good relationship.
- It's often used after stating your name when introducing yourself, but also when asking for a favor.
- There are more polite/formal versions, such as どうぞよろしくおねがいします (Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu), which adds extra emphasis and politeness. This is especially useful in formal situations.
- A slightly less formal version is simply よろしく (yoroshiku). Use this with people you are already relatively familiar with.

Adding More Information to Your Introduction

Once you've mastered the basic introduction, you can add more information about yourself. Here are some useful phrases:

～からきました。 (~ kara kimashita.) - I am from ~.
- ~ represents the place you are from.
- Kara means "from," and kimashita means "came."
- Example: アメリカからきました。 (Amerika kara kimashita.) - I am from America.
- Example: とうきょうからきました。 (Toukyou kara kimashita.) - I am from Tokyo.
～です。 (~ desu.) - I am a ~. (Profession or affiliation)
- ~ represents your profession, student status, or affiliation.
- Example: がくせいです。 (Gakusei desu.) - I am a student. (学生 - gakusei - student)
- Example: かいしゃいんです。 (Kaishain desu.) - I am a company employee. (会社員 - kaishain - company employee)
- Example: せんせいです。 (Sensei desu.) - I am a teacher. (先生 - sensei - teacher)
～さいです。 (~ sai desu.) - I am ~ years old.
- ~ represents your age. (Counting will be covered in the next lesson).
- Example: 20さいです。 (Nijuu sai desu.) - I am 20 years old.
～がすきです。 (~ ga suki desu.) - I like ~.
- ~ represents something you like.
- Suki desu means "like."
- Example: おんがくがすきです。 (Ongaku ga suki desu.) - I like music. (音楽 - ongaku - music)
- Example: アニメがすきです。 (Anime ga suki desu.) - I like anime.

Practice: Fill in the blanks!

Complete the sentences with the correct Japanese words/phrases:

はじめまして。私は (Your Name) _____.
(Country) _____ きました。
私は (Profession) _____.
(Hobby) _____ 好きです。

3. Putting It Together: Expanding the Self-Introduction Dialogue

Let's build on the basic self-introduction to create a more natural and informative conversation.

Person A: はじめまして。ジョンです。アメリカからきました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Jon desu. Amerika kara kimashita. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) Nice to meet you. I'm John. I came from America. Please treat me well.

Person B: はじめまして。メアリーです。がくせいです。こちらこそ、どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Mearii desu. Gakusei desu. Kochira koso, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) Nice to meet you. I'm Mary. I'm a student. Likewise, please treat me well.

こちらこそ (Kochira koso) - Likewise / The pleasure is all mine.
- This phrase is used to reciprocate the "yoroshiku onegaishimasu," indicating that you also look forward to a good relationship. It's a very polite and thoughtful response.

Adding More Information

Person A: こんにちは、田中さん。(Konnichiwa, Tanaka-san) Hello, Mr./Ms. Tanaka.

Person B: こんにちは、スミスさん。(Konnichiwa, Sumisu-san) Hello, Mr./Ms. Smith.

Person A: 田中です。はじめまして。イギリスからきました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 (Tanaka desu. Hajimemashite. Igirisu kara kimashita. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) I am Tanaka. Nice to meet you. I came from England. Please treat me well.

Person B: スミスです。はじめまして。会社員です。こちらこそ、どうぞよろしくおねがいします。(Sumisu desu. Hajimemashite. Kaishain desu. Kochira koso, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) I am Smith. Nice to meet you. I'm a company employee. Likewise, please treat me well.

～さん (-san) - A title of respect added to a person's name. Equivalent to Mr., Ms., or Mrs. Use it unless someone specifically asks you not to.

Practice Dialogue: Fill in the blanks and practice!

Person A: こんにちは、(Family Name)-さん。(Konnichiwa, (Family Name)-san)

Person B: こんにちは、(Family Name)-さん。(Konnichiwa, (Family Name)-san)

Person A: (Family Name)です。はじめまして。(Country) からきました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 ((Family Name) desu. Hajimemashite. (Country) kara kimashita. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.)

Person B: (Family Name)です。はじめまして。(Profession)です。こちらこそ、どうぞよろしくおねがいします。((Family Name) desu. Hajimemashite. (Profession) desu. Kochira koso, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.)

4. Additional Useful Phrases for Meeting People

Beyond the basic self-introduction, here are some other phrases you might find helpful:

お名前は？ (O-namae wa?) - What is your name? (Polite)
- O- is a prefix that adds politeness. Namae means "name."
- A more casual way to ask is 名前は？ (Namae wa?).
どちらからですか？ (Dochira kara desu ka?) - Where are you from? (Polite)
- Dochira means "where" (polite). Ka is a question marker.
- A more casual way to ask is どこから？ (Doko kara?).
趣味はなんですか？ (Shumi wa nan desu ka?) - What is your hobby?
- Shumi means "hobby." Nan means "what."

Translation Practice!

Translate the following sentences into Japanese:

What is your name? (polite)
I like reading books.
I am from Canada.
I am a high school student.

Homework (宿題 - Shukudai):

Daily Greetings: Make a conscious effort to use "おはようございます," "こんにちは," and "こんばんは" throughout the day. Try to observe how native speakers use them in different contexts (if possible).
Self-Introduction Practice: Practice introducing yourself in Japanese using the expanded self-introduction including where you are from and what you do. Say it out loud and record yourself to check your pronunciation.
Role-Play (Expanded): Expand on the simple dialogue by including questions like "What is your name?" and "Where are you from?". Practice with a friend or language partner, if possible.
Listen and Mimic (Focused): Find audio or video examples of introductions, paying close attention to how the speakers use particles like wa and ga.
Cultural Note: Research Japanese business card etiquette (名刺 - meishi). Exchanging business cards is a formal ritual in Japanese business culture, and knowing the proper way to present and receive a card is essential. (This is more advanced, but interesting)