Common Japanese Greetings Every Beginner Must Know

My first conversation with a native Japanese speaker was a disaster. It was 2020, during the pandemic, and I had connected with a university student from Osaka through a language exchange app. I had studied Japanese for 8 months. I knew Hiragana, Katakana, 100 vocabulary words, and basic grammar. I was ready. Or so I thought.

The call started. I said "こんにちは" (konnichiwa). She replied "こんにちは." Then silence. I didn't know what to say next. I had learned greetings from a textbook, but I didn't know how to USE them in real conversation. I didn't know when to bow (metaphorically, since it was a video call), when to use polite forms, or how to transition from greeting to actual talking.

That 15-minute call taught me something textbooks don't: greetings aren't just words — they're social tools. They open doors, establish relationships, and show respect. Get them wrong, and you sound rude or awkward. Get them right, and Japanese people immediately warm up to you.

This guide covers every greeting you need for JLPT N5 and real-life conversation. Not just the words, but the cultural context, the timing, and the Bengali equivalent so you understand the FEELING, not just the translation.

The Three Levels of Japanese Politeness

Before we dive into greetings, you must understand that Japanese has politeness levels. Using the wrong level is like using তুমি (tumi) with your boss — technically not wrong, but socially awkward.

For JLPT N5 and daily life, you need the Polite level. That's what this guide focuses on. Casual forms come later when you have Japanese friends.

The Essential Greetings

Real Conversation Flow (What Textbooks Don't Teach)

Textbooks teach greetings in isolation. Real conversation flows like this:

Notice the ritual? はじめまして (hajimemashite) is ONLY for first meetings. よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) is complex — it means "please treat me favorably" and is used in introductions, when asking for help, and when beginning a relationship. There's no direct Bengali equivalent. The closest is "আপনার সাহায্য কামনা করছি" but that sounds too formal. よろしく is warmer, more relational.

Greetings by Time of Day (Quick Reference)

Cultural Notes Every Bengali Learner Should Know

1. Bowing vs. Handshakes: In Japan, you bow when greeting. The depth of the bow shows respect. A slight nod (15°) for friends, a medium bow (30°) for teachers/bosses, a deep bow (45°+) for apologies or extreme respect. As a foreigner, a small nod is acceptable. I practiced bowing in front of a mirror — it felt silly, but it became natural.

2. Business Cards (Meishi): If you exchange business cards, receive with BOTH hands, look at it for a moment, say よろしくお願いします, and place it carefully on the table (not in your pocket immediately). This ritual is important in professional settings.

3. Phone Greetings: When answering the phone, Japanese people say もしもし (moshi moshi) — not こんにちは. I learned this the hard way when I called my language partner and she laughed at my formal phone greeting.

4. Seasonal Greetings: Japanese has seasonal greetings that Bengali doesn't. 暑中お見舞い (shochuu omimai) in summer — "sympathy for the heat." 寒中お見舞い (kanchuu omimai) in winter — "sympathy for the cold." These are written on postcards. For N5, you don't need these, but they're beautiful cultural details.

My Greeting Practice Routine

When I was preparing for my first conversation with a native speaker, I did this daily:

• Morning (while brushing teeth): Say おはようございます 10 times with different intonations
• Midday (before lunch): Practice こんにちは + はじめまして + よろしくお願いします as a sequence
• Evening (before dinner): Practice こんばんは + ありがとうございます + すみません
• Night (before bed): Say おやすみなさい and review any mistakes from the day

It sounds robotic, but muscle memory applies to speech too. After two weeks, these phrases came out naturally without thinking.

Final Words

Greetings are your first impression in Japanese. They show that you respect the language and culture. A well-delivered よろしくお願いします can open doors that perfect grammar cannot.

I still remember my Osaka language partner's smile when I said おはようございます with the right pitch and a small bow. She said, "Biki, you sound like a real student now." That compliment meant more than any test score.

Practice these greetings until they feel like Bengali. Until こんにちは feels as natural as নমস্কার. That's when you know you're not just learning Japanese — you're living it.

がんばって！

Biki Akram (ビキ先生)

Founder of NihonSync · Still practices bowing in the mirror · Teaching Japanese conversation since 2020