Response expressions (greetings, requests, answers)

Response expressions and greetings

Response expressions (応答, おうとう, response) are short utterances used to respond to what the listener says, while greeting expressions (挨拶, あいさつ, greeting) are used to open, close, or part from an interaction depending on the situation. In listening questions, the key is to match the content of the utterance with the most natural response or greeting, not simply to recognize words that are already known.

Answers to yes/no questions Questions ending in 〜ますか or 〜ですか are answered with 「はい(yes)」 if affirming, or 「いいえ(no)」 if denying, followed by an explanation. Example: 「あなたは 学生ですか」 → 「はい、学生です」. Note that 「はい」 only affirms the content of the question, so an answer that begins with 「はい」 but whose content does not match is still wrong.

Questions with もう (already) and actions done or not yet done:

• まだです(まだです, not yet) — used when the action has not been done yet. Example: 「もう 宿題を しましたか」 → 「いいえ、まだです」.
• もう 〜ました(already 〜) — expresses an action that has already been completed. Example: 「はい、もう 支払いを 済ませました(already paid)」.
• さっき 〜ました(a little while ago, already 〜) — expresses an action that was done not long before. Example: 「はい、さっき 出かけました」.
• これから 〜ます(from now on 〜) — adds a plan after stating that something has not yet been done. Example: 「まだです。これから 手を 洗います」.
• 会(あ)う(あう, to meet) — the negative past form 〜ませんでした is used to answer a past question with no. Example: 「いいえ、きのう 先生には 会いませんでした」.

Questions with question words (何, どの, だれ, いつ)

• 〜と 読みます(よみます, is read as 〜) — pattern for stating the reading of a kanji. Example: 「この 字は 「あお」と 読みます」.
• 〜に 乗ってください(のってください, please board 〜) — answers どの〜 by stating a number or name. Example: 「三番の バスに 乗ってください」.
• 〜が 作ります(つくります, makes/cooks) — answers だれが by naming the person who does the action. Example: 「昼ごはんは 姉が 買います」.
• カレーを 作ります — answers 何 by directly naming the dish or object in question. Example: 「夜は おすしを 注文しますよ」.
• にほんご — answers 何 with the name of a school subject. Example: 「午後の じゅぎょうは 算数(さんすう, mathematics)です」.
• 〜の 前に(まえに, before 〜) — expresses time order. Example: 「寝る 前に 歯を みがきます」.
• 〜に なります(becomes 〜) — expresses a change of state. Example: 「午後から 雨に なります」.

Agreement, permission, and willingness

• はい、そうです(yes, that's right) — confirms a statement or a confirmation question. Example: 「ここは 学校ですか」 → 「はい、そうです」.
• 〜よ(emphasis particle) — the particle 「よ」 at the end of a sentence is used to convey information to the listener. Example: 「はい、近くに 公園が ありますよ」.
• いいですよ(it's fine, you may) — gives permission in response to a request. Example: 「ここで 写真を 撮っても いいですか」 → 「はい、いいですよ」.
• 〜て もらえますか(could you please 〜?) — polite request form. Example: 「この 紙を 見て もらえますか」.
• わかりました(all right, I understand) — expresses agreement or willingness to a request or instruction.
• すぐ 〜ます(right away 〜) — expresses willingness to carry out a 〜てください request. Example: 「窓を 閉めて ください」 → 「はい、すぐ 閉めます」.
• すぐ いきます(going right away) — response to a notice that someone is being called to come. Example: 「ごはんが できたよ」 → 「はい、すぐ いきます」.
• 〜が できたよ(it's ready) — notice to a family member or friend that something has been finished.
• だいじょうぶです(it's all right / I can do it) — expresses ability or readiness to do something. Example: 「明日 三時から 手伝えますか」 → 「はい、だいじょうぶです」.

Offers, invitations, and help

• 〜ましょうか(shall I 〜?) — offer of help. Example: 「荷物を 持ちましょうか」.
• どう いたしまして(you're welcome) — used only to answer expressions of thanks.
• 〜ましょう(let's 〜) — invitation to do something together. Example: 「いっしょに 確認しましょう」.

Apologies, excuse me, and speaking with someone of higher status

• ごめんなさい(sorry) — apology.
• お待(ま)たせしました(sorry for keeping you waiting) — said to someone who has been waiting.
• すみません、〜ました(excuse me, I have 〜) — apology accompanied by an admission of a mistake, such as being late. Example: 「すみません、遅れました」.
• すみません。〜を 教えて ください(excuse me, please tell me 〜) — way to ask help from a staff member or a stranger. Example: 「すみません。駅への 行き方を 教えて ください」.
• 先生(せんせい, teacher)、ちょっと いいですか(Teacher, may I have a moment?) — opening expression when speaking with a teacher.
• お先に しつれいします(excuse me for leaving before you) — said when leaving a workplace before others.
• しつれいします(excuse me) — said when entering or leaving a room.

Empathy and congratulations

• それは たいへんですね(that must be hard, isn't it) — shows empathy for an unpleasant situation, such as illness.
• おたんじょうび おめでとう(happy birthday) — congratulation for a happy event.
• おだいじに(take care / get well soon) — expression for someone who is sick.

Greetings at home and during meals

• ただいま(I'm home) — said upon arriving home.
• おかえりなさい(welcome back) — answered by family members when someone comes home.
• いってきます(I'm leaving now) — said when leaving home, and answered with 「いってらっしゃい(take care on the way)」.
• いただきます(said before eating) — said before a meal.
• ごちそうさま(thank you for the meal) — said after finishing a meal.
• おやすみなさい(good night) — said when going to bed or parting at night.

Time-based greetings

• おはようございます(good morning), こんにちは(good afternoon), こんばんは(good evening) — greetings chosen according to the time of day.
• はじめまして(nice to meet you) — said when meeting someone for the first time.

Response expressions and greetings

Response expressions and greetings are short phrases used to greet or respond to the person you are speaking with, according to the time, place, and situation. The key is to match the expression to the circumstances, not to translate word by word.

• おつかれさまでした (otsukaresama deshita, thank you for your hard work) — used after work is finished, to coworkers or superiors at the workplace.
• いただきます (itadakimasu, let's eat, bon appetit) — said before eating, or as a natural reply when accepting an invitation to eat. Example: 「ケーキを食べませんか。——はい、いただきます。」
• ごちそうさまでした (gochisousama deshita, thank you for the meal) — said after eating, not after other activities such as going for a walk.
• ありがとう / ありがとうございます (arigatou / arigatou gozaimasu, thank you) — expressions of gratitude, which can be made warmer by adding 「うれしいです」 (I am glad). Example: 「手伝ってくれてありがとう。」
• おいしかったです (oishikatta desu, it was delicious) — the polite past form of 「おいしい」 used to express an impression after eating. The negative form 「おいしくないです」 means it is not delicious.
• おだいじに (odaiji ni, get well soon) — said to someone who is sick, not to someone who is healthy.
• いってきます (ittekimasu, I am off now) — said when leaving home or a place of residence. いってらっしゃい (itterasshai, take care on your way) is the reply from the person who stays at home.
• ただいま (tadaima, I am home) — said by a person who has just returned to their own home, not by a host welcoming a guest.
• どうぞ、あがってください (douzo, agatte kudasai, please come in) — the host's expression inviting a guest to enter the house from the entrance 玄関 (genkan).
• 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu, excuse me) — said when entering someone else's room, such as a classroom or an office. 失礼しました (shitsurei shimashita) is used after leaving a room.
• おやすみなさい (oyasumi nasai, good night) — said in the evening when parting or going to sleep, not when meeting during the day.
• おはようございます / こんにちは (ohayou gozaimasu / konnichiwa) — morning greeting and daytime greeting. When arriving at the reception desk, people usually greet and then state their name with the pattern 「〜です」 (I am ...).
• はい、わかります / わかりません (wakarimasu / wakarimasen) — 「わかります」 expresses knowing or understanding, while 「わかりません」 expresses not knowing. 「いいです」 means 'not necessary' or 'enough'.
• では、いっしょに〜ましょうか (dewa, issho ni ~ mashou ka, shall we ~ together) — a suggestion expression for responding to the other person's difficulty with a suitable solution.
• 〜よ (~yo) — a sentence-final particle used to emphasize information to the listener, as in 「行きますよ」 (I will go, you know).
• すぐ行きます (sugu ikimasu, I will go right away) — expresses willingness to carry out a request immediately.
• こちらにどうぞ (kochira ni douzo, please come this way) — an expression used by staff to direct the listener to the right place for service.

Request expressions (〜てください)

The pattern 〜てください (~te kudasai, please ~) is used to politely ask the listener to do something. The 〜て form is taken from the te-form of a verb, and 「ください」 is then added.

• 来てください (kite kudasai, please come) — 来る (kuru, to come) changes to 来て. This pattern is also used with the comparison 「〜より少し早く」 (a little earlier than ~).
• 貸してください (kashite kudasai, please lend me) — 貸す (kasu, to lend) is the action of giving a loan. In contrast, 借りる (kariru, to borrow) is the action of receiving a loan, so 「借りたいです」 means I want to borrow.
• 〜をお願いします (~o onegai shimasu, I ask you to ~) — used to ask someone to carry out a task.
• 〜てみる (~te miru, to try ~) — expresses an attempt to do something, such as 「聞いてみます」 (I will try asking).
• 教えてください (oshiete kudasai, please tell me) — used to ask for information or for how to do something. The expression 「すみません」 is often placed first to call someone or ask for help politely.
• 〜をください (~o kudasai, please give me ~) — pattern for asking for an item, without the て form. Example: 「コーヒーをください。」
• 手伝ってください (tetsudatte kudasai, please help) — asking the listener for help, which differs from 「手伝いましょう」 (let us help), a suggestion to do something together.
• 見てください (mite kudasai, please look) — an instruction to look at something, for example the whiteboard in class.
• 言ってください (itte kudasai, please say it) — used to ask for repetition with 「もう一度」 (once more), and 「すみません」 makes the request more polite.
• 待ってください (matte kudasai, please wait) — used to ask someone to wait a moment. The reason is often given with 「〜ので」 (because ~).

An important difference: 〜てください is a request to the listener, 〜ましょう is an invitation to do something together, and 〜ましょうか is an offer or suggestion from the speaker. A natural response to a request is 「はい、おねがいします」 (yes, please), which accepts the request politely.