Hello! Nice to meet you

Polite Greetings in Japanese

In Japanese, greetings change depending on the time of day and the level of politeness. At A1 level, always use the polite forms (です/ます form).

おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu) is used in the morning. With close friends, you can shorten it to おはよう (ohayou).

こんにちは (konnichiwa) is the standard greeting for daytime, from late morning to evening.

こんばんは (konbanwa) is used in the evening.

Meeting someone for the first time

When you meet someone, say:

• はじめまして (hajimemashite) → "Nice to meet you" (literally: "for the first time")
• よろしくおねがいします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) → "Please treat me well" (standard closing of an introduction)

These two phrases are almost always used together when introducing yourself in Japanese. They show respect and are essential for making a good first impression.