In Japanese, the time of day dictates your greeting. Using the right one is a simple but important sign of respect and awareness. It’s the first step in sounding natural.

This is your standard greeting from when you wake up until around 11 a.m. The “gozaimasu” makes it polite and suitable for most situations. When talking to close friends or family, you can shorten it to just “Ohayō.”

Probably the most famous Japanese word, konnichiwa is a general-purpose “hello” used from late morning until early evening, roughly 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's versatile and can be used with anyone. Interestingly, the hiragana for the last sound is は (ha), but it's pronounced “wa” when used as a particle, as it is here.

Once the sun starts to set, switch to konbanwa. It functions exactly like konnichiwa, but for the evening. Again, note the は (ha) character is pronounced “wa”.

Beyond greetings, a few key phrases are indispensable for polite interaction. These words are used constantly in daily life in Japan.

This is the formal way to express thanks. You can't overuse it. Like with “good morning,” you can drop the “gozaimasu” for a more casual “arigatō” among friends. If someone has done something for you in the past, you would say arigatō gozaimashita, using the past tense.

Sumimasen is a powerful, multi-purpose word. You can use it to get someone's attention (like a waiter), to apologise for a small mistake (like bumping into someone), or even as a way of saying “thank you” when someone has gone out of their way for you. It carries the nuance of “Sorry for the trouble, thank you.”

Saying farewell in Japanese has more nuance than a simple “goodbye.” The phrase you choose can imply when, or if, you'll see the person again.

While sayōnara is the direct translation of “goodbye,” it carries a strong sense of finality. It implies you won't be seeing the person for a long time, or perhaps ever again. You might hear children say it to their teacher at the end of the school day, but adults rarely use it in everyday conversation.

For more casual situations, phrases like じゃあね (Jaa ne, “See you”) or またあした (Mata ashita, “See you tomorrow”) are much more common among friends and colleagues.

This phrase is used when parting ways for the night or just before going to bed. It’s a farewell, not a greeting. The casual version, used with close family and friends, is simply oyasumi.

Now, let's review these essential phrases.

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Using these greetings correctly will make your interactions much smoother. They are the foundation of polite conversation in Japan.