Casual
おはよう
ohayou · Good morning
Friends & family
A relaxed greeting for people you know well.
Back to Learn
Episode 01 · Learn · Context
Casual or Polite?
Politeness in Japanese starts with who you are speaking to.
Same morning greeting. Different relationship.
Two ways to say good morning
Listen and compare
Polite
おはようございます
ohayou gozaimasu · Good morning
Guests, teachers & coworkers
A polite greeting, also useful with people you do not know well.
Let the relationship guide you
Japanese has casual and polite forms. Choose with the situation and your relationship in mind.
Culture note
Politeness is an important part of Japanese. This difference appears beyond greetings, too—you will meet it throughout your learning.