Japanese Greetings – Learn to Express Thank You in Japanese

The Japanese emphasis on greetings is one of the cultural differences between Japan and the West.

In any country, people greet friends and co-workers, but the Japanese take the simple greeting one step further with this simple rule: You should always thank your friend or coworker for any benefits you have.

Scenario 1: Thank a Japanese coworker for a trip home

For example, let’s say you work in Japan. Taro, a friend from work, takes you home on a Friday night when your car won’t start. On Monday morning, when you see Taro at work, you would thank him for doing his best on Friday, with something like this:

Senjitsu wa doomo shitsurei shimashita.

Thank you very much for the other day. (I was literally rude to you the other day.)

And Taro would probably answer:

Iie, iie, make it like that. Kuruma-wa daijoubu desu ka?

No, no, it was nothing. Is your car okay?

Taro may say “it was nothing”, but he would be insulted if he forgot to thank her for the trip home.

Situation 2: Thanking a Japanese friend for chatting at a party?

Now, suppose you meet another friend, Motoko, at a party. You chat for a few minutes with Motoko and then mingle with other party guests. A few days later, you meet Motoko at a coffee shop. His proper Japanese greeting is:

You: Senjitsu wa doomo.
Thanks for the other day.

Motoko: Iie, watashi no hoo koso, shitsurei itashimashita.
No thanks you. (Literally, “No, I’m the one who should thank you”).

You: Paatii, totem tanoshikatta desu ne.
The party was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?

You may wonder why you need to thank Motoko; You didn’t invite her and it wasn’t your party after all; you just talked to her at the party.

The Japanese see it differently. Your friendship with Motoko is something that should be cultivated and the greeting is a place where you can confirm and reinforce that relationship. You are literally thanking Motoko for taking the time to talk to you at the party. By revisiting that shared experience, you and Motoko strengthen your friendship.

Why the Japanese greet with gratitude

The phrase “senjitsu wa doomo” gold “senjitsu wa doomo shitsurei shimashita“It also sets a tone for the conversation that pleases Japanese sensibilities. I translate these phrases as” thank you for the other day, “but that translation does not convey the sense of humility and debt of the original Japanese. Dooomo shitsurei shimashita literally means “I was rude,” and doomo it’s just a shortened form of that. (You can also say, doomo sumimasen deshita, which has a similar meaning.)

Here, there was no real rudeness, and your friend knows it. However, by using these phrases to start a conversation, you set a humble tone that your Japanese listener is sure to appreciate. If you skip this greeting and jump onto a new topic, your Japanese friend might feel a bit underappreciated. As a result, although your Japanese friend will never admit that feeling, your friendship may not grow as you expected.

Your mother surely taught you to always say thank you when someone does you a favor. The same rule applies in Japan – it’s just that you need to cast a wider net for what counts as a favor.