A1 · First conversations
Japanese Greetings and Introductions
By the end, you can greet someone, say your name, ask the other person’s name, and close the conversation politely.
Core phrases
| Japanese | Pronunciation / note | Natural English |
|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning (polite) |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello / Good afternoon |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | How do you do? (first meeting) |
| （name）です | (name) desu | I am / My name is … |
| お名前は？ | onamae wa? | Your name? |
| どうぞよろしくお願いします | dōzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu | Please treat me kindly / Nice to meet you |
| お元気ですか | ogenki desu ka | How are you? |
| はい、元気です | hai, genki desu | Yes, I am well. |
Notice the pattern
A natural first meeting flows as はじめまして, your name + です, then どうぞよろしくお願いします. Avoid overusing あなた (“you”); names, titles, or context usually do the work. In こんにちは, は is written ha but pronounced wa.
Japanese greetings depend on situation and relationship. This sequence is polite and suitable for a first meeting.
Model dialogue
Read this short first meeting aloud. Replace the name phrase with your own name.
A: はじめまして
B: はじめまして
A: お名前は？
B: （name）です
A: どうぞよろしくお願いします
A: お元気ですか
B: はい、元気です
Practice
- Match はじめまして with its natural English meaning.
- Complete the name-giving line with the phrase from the table.
- Choose the positive answer to “How are you?”
- Choose the best opening phrase for the model dialogue.
- Complete the name question with the core phrase from the table.
- Put four moves in order: greet, give your name, ask a name, close politely.
Check your answers
- 1 → How do you do? (first meeting)
- 2 → （name）です
- 3 → はい、元気です
- 4 → はじめまして
- 5 → お名前は？
- 6: Answers vary; include a greeting, name, question, and polite close.
Create your four-line introduction
Write and say four lines: greet the person, give your name, ask their name, and finish with a polite meeting phrase. Choose the level of formality that fits the situation.