Learning to say “nice to meet you” in Japanese is more than just learning a phrase; it’s learning a way of expressing respect and building a relationship. Unlike English, where you might only need one sentence, Japanese offers a range of expressions depending on who you’re talking to and how you want to present yourself.
Think of it as having a language toolkit. This guide will help you understand the most essential phrases and give you the confidence to introduce yourself naturally in Japanese.
The First Phrase: はじめまして (Hajimemashite)
When you meet someone for the first time, you’ll start by saying はじめまして (hajimemashite). This phrase literally means “it’s the first time.” You’re simply acknowledging the fact that you’ve never met this person before.
I know what you’re thinking… that’s a pretty straightforward idea. But be careful! There are times you might forget you’ve met someone before, and saying はじめまして could cause a bit of a misunderstanding. So, always make sure you’ve never seen them before!
Click here to hear how to pronounce はじめまして.
The Magical Follow-Up
After はじめまして, you’ll say よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu).
This phrase is a bit magical because it has several meanings, but in this context, it translates to something like, “please take good care of me.” That’s a way of showing humility and asking for a positive relationship. It’s a key part of any Japanese introduction.
よろしく(yoroshiku) comes from the adjective 宜しい (yoroshii) which means “good,” “right,” or “proper.” お願いします(onegaishimasu) comes from the verb 願う (negau), which means “to wish,” “to hope,” or “to request.” The 御 (お: o), at the very beginning, is an honorific prefix. And します(shimasu) is a formal verb ending from する (suru), which means “to do.” Together, it literally translates to something like “I humbly make a request” but it’s also used to say “please.”
Click here to hear how to pronounce よろしくお願いしま.
よろしくお願いします is the standard version but you can make be more polite or casual by making the phrase longer or shorter.
The Most Polite Version
For formal exchanges, you’ll want to use どうぞよろしくお願い致します (Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu). The word どうぞ (dōzo) adds a layer of politeness at the beginning. And so does the replacement of します(shimasu) by 致します(itashimasu).
The Casual Version
For friends, you can simply use よろしく (yoroshiku). If you want to add a little friendliness or complicity, especially with someone younger than you, you can say よろしくね (yoroshiku ne) or よろしくな (yoroshiku na).
How to Reply When The Other Person Says It First
When someone says はじめまして (hajimemashite) and よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) to you first, you have a couple of polite ways to respond:
- A great way to reply is こちらこそ (Kochira koso). This literally means “this side as well,” and it’s a polite way of saying, “the pleasure is all mine.”
- A less formal but still polite option would be 私もです (watashi mo desu). It means “me too,” and is a great way to show you are also happy to meet them.
When You Meet Your Idol
What if you finally get to meet your favorite Japanese celebrity or someone you admire? In that case, you’ll want to use another set of phrases.
The Formal Option
お会いできて光栄です (o-ai dekite kōei desu) which translates to “it’s an honor to meet you.” In お会い (o-ai), we have the honorific prefix 御 (o) again. 会い (ai) comes from the verb 会う (au) which means “to meet.” できて (dekite) is the te-form of the verb できる (dekiru) meaning “to be able to” or “to be capable of.” 光栄 (こうえい: kōei) means “honor” or “glory.” です (desu)makes the entire phrase polite.
So literally, お会いできて光栄です (o-ai dekite kōei desu) would mean more “”I am honored to have been able to meet.”
The More Friendly One
会えて嬉しいです (aete ureshii desu) wich translates to “happy to meet.” 会えて(aete) means exactly the same thing as お会いできて (o-ai dekite). But again, shorter means less formal. 嬉しい (ureshii) means “to be happy.”
Putting It All Together: The Full Introduction Flow
In Japan, you don’t just say one phrase. You follow a sequence:
- Start with a greeting like こんにちは (konnichiwa) or こんばんは (konbanwa).
- Say はじめまして (Hajimemashite) to acknowledge that it’s the first time you’ve met.
- Give your name (we’ll study that in the next lesson).
- Finish with よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu) to express your hope for a positive relationship.
So there you have it, your first step to making a great impression in Japanese. Just remember, the key is always context!
Ready for the next lesson?
Let’s study how to say “my name is” in Japanese!