How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese
Say "Hajimemashite.", Choose your greeting according to the time., Introduce yourself., Say "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," to end your initial introduction.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Say "Hajimemashite."
This translates to "Nice to meet you," or to something similar to "Let's begin a friendship." Pronounce it (ha-she Exchanging a "Hajimemashite" is usually the first step to introducing yourself in Japanese. "Hajimemashite" is a conjugation of "hajimeru," which is a verb meaning "to begin"., It is acceptable, though less common, to substitute these greetings for a "Hajimemashite." In Japanese, there are three basic ways to say hello: ohayou, konnichiwa, and konbanwa.
Much like English-speakers say, "Good morning," "Good day," and "Good evening," the Japanese use different greetings to distinguish each time of day. "Ohayou" (pronounced just like "Ohio") means "good morning" and is used pretty much anytime before noon.
To make it more polite, say "ohayou gozaimasu" (go-zah-ee-MAHS). "Konnichiwa" (KO-nee-chee-wah) means "good afternoon" and is also a standard hello.
It can be used between noon and about 5 PM."Konbanwa" (kon-BAHN-wah) means "good evening," and is used between 5 PM and midnight.
If you want to mix things up, you can say the Japanese equivalent of "Greetings," which is aisatsu (AH-ee-saht-soo). , The most common and simple way to introduce yourself in Japanese is the phrase "Watashi no namae wa ___ desu." (wah-TAH-shee no nah-MAH-eh wah ___ dess).
It means "My name is ___." If you're using your full name, say your surname first.For example: "Watashi no namae wa Miyazaki Hayao desu," means "My name is Hayao Miyazaki." Bear in mind that Japanese people rarely use "watashi" in conversation.
When introducing yourself, you can omit the "watashi wa" if you're comfortable trying to sound like a local. "Anata," which means "you," is similarly avoided.Thus, you can simply say "Joe desu," to tell someone that your name is Joe. , Pronounce it (yor-OH-she-koo oh-nay-guy-ee-shee-mass).
This translates roughly to "Please be nice to me." It may not be common to say something like this in English, but it is a very important phrase to remember when introducing yourself to native Japanese speakers.
This is usually the last phrase that Japanese people use when they introduce themselves.For a more casual form, you can just say "Yoroshiku." In almost all cases, however, you should err on the side of the more formal, more polite form.
If you're introducing yourself casually to a young person of similar social standing, you can omit almost all of the extra words.
Simply say, "Joe desu.
Yoroshiku," to mean "I'm Joe.
Nice to meet you." -
Step 2: Choose your greeting according to the time.
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Step 3: Introduce yourself.
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Step 4: Say "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
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Step 5: " to end your initial introduction.
Detailed Guide
This translates to "Nice to meet you," or to something similar to "Let's begin a friendship." Pronounce it (ha-she Exchanging a "Hajimemashite" is usually the first step to introducing yourself in Japanese. "Hajimemashite" is a conjugation of "hajimeru," which is a verb meaning "to begin"., It is acceptable, though less common, to substitute these greetings for a "Hajimemashite." In Japanese, there are three basic ways to say hello: ohayou, konnichiwa, and konbanwa.
Much like English-speakers say, "Good morning," "Good day," and "Good evening," the Japanese use different greetings to distinguish each time of day. "Ohayou" (pronounced just like "Ohio") means "good morning" and is used pretty much anytime before noon.
To make it more polite, say "ohayou gozaimasu" (go-zah-ee-MAHS). "Konnichiwa" (KO-nee-chee-wah) means "good afternoon" and is also a standard hello.
It can be used between noon and about 5 PM."Konbanwa" (kon-BAHN-wah) means "good evening," and is used between 5 PM and midnight.
If you want to mix things up, you can say the Japanese equivalent of "Greetings," which is aisatsu (AH-ee-saht-soo). , The most common and simple way to introduce yourself in Japanese is the phrase "Watashi no namae wa ___ desu." (wah-TAH-shee no nah-MAH-eh wah ___ dess).
It means "My name is ___." If you're using your full name, say your surname first.For example: "Watashi no namae wa Miyazaki Hayao desu," means "My name is Hayao Miyazaki." Bear in mind that Japanese people rarely use "watashi" in conversation.
When introducing yourself, you can omit the "watashi wa" if you're comfortable trying to sound like a local. "Anata," which means "you," is similarly avoided.Thus, you can simply say "Joe desu," to tell someone that your name is Joe. , Pronounce it (yor-OH-she-koo oh-nay-guy-ee-shee-mass).
This translates roughly to "Please be nice to me." It may not be common to say something like this in English, but it is a very important phrase to remember when introducing yourself to native Japanese speakers.
This is usually the last phrase that Japanese people use when they introduce themselves.For a more casual form, you can just say "Yoroshiku." In almost all cases, however, you should err on the side of the more formal, more polite form.
If you're introducing yourself casually to a young person of similar social standing, you can omit almost all of the extra words.
Simply say, "Joe desu.
Yoroshiku," to mean "I'm Joe.
Nice to meet you."
About the Author
Sharon Lee
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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