Japanese course

Lesson 1 of 240

Hello, how are you in Japanese

Rain follows Leo down a Yanaka lane on his first morning. He steps into Kissa Hotaru, sets his umbrella in the stand, and tries a hello.

A yak in the corner booth looks up from thick toast and asks how Leo is, as if they already know each other.

You will greet people in the morning, afternoon, and evening, then say how you are.

Keep it polite. Casual hellos come later, with friends.

By the end of this lesson

Greet someone and say how you are.

  • こんにちは。Hello.
  • おはようございます。Good morning.
  • こんばんは。Good evening.
  • お元気(げんき)ですか。How are you?
  • 元気(げんき)です。I'm fine.
  • おかげさまで。I'm well, thanks.

Scene — a wet morning

Yanaka is wet this morning. Leo opens the door of Kissa Hotaru and shakes rain from his clear umbrella. Masako looks up from the wooden counter.

In the corner booth, a large yak occupies two red seats. Buttered toast sits beside a blend coffee he has not sipped.

Leo opens Kissa Hotaru’s door on a rainy morning as Masako looks up from the counter and Goro sits with untouched toast and coffee.

Learn — hello at the door

These six lines are hellos for morning, daytime, and evening, plus a polite how are you.

Two short answers sit ready for when someone asks.

  1. Leo steps inside and gives a small greeting bow beside the umbrella stand.

    こんにちは。

    Hello.

    When to use it: Use this from late morning through the afternoon.

    Learn it as one piece for a daytime hello.

    Say it: Give ん its own beat; do not skip it.

  2. Masako looks up from the counter and returns Leo’s morning greeting with a polite bow.

    おはようございます。

    Good morning.

    When to use it: Use this with staff or a new face in the morning.

    Learn it as one piece for a polite morning hello.

    Say it: The final vowel is almost silent.

  3. Goro looks up from his toast and lifts an arm to greet Leo from the corner booth.

    こんばんは。

    Good evening.

    When to use it: Use this once the day has turned to evening.

    Learn it as one piece for an evening hello.

  4. Masako leans across the counter with an open gesture toward Goro in the corner booth.

    お元気(げんき)ですか。

    How are you?

    When to use it: Ask this after a hello when you want to check in.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask how someone is.

  5. Leo nods once at the counter, responding to Goro’s friendly question.

    元気(げんき)です。

    I'm fine.

    When to use it: Use this as a simple answer to how are you.

    Learn it as one piece to say you are fine.

  6. Goro gives a modest nod beside his untouched coffee and buttered toast.

    おかげさまで。

    I'm well, thanks.

    When to use it: Use this to thank someone for asking how you are.

    Learn it as one piece for a warm thanks-for-asking.

Story — toast in the booth

Leo says hello at the kissa door. Goro asks how he is before Leo even sits down.

Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.

  1. Rain on the glass. Leo sets his umbrella in the stand.
  2. Leoこんにちは。Hello.
  3. Masakoおはようございます。Good morning.
  4. It is still morning. Leo bows a little too deep.
  5. Leoおはようございます。Good morning.
  6. From the corner booth, a yak looks up from his toast.
  7. Goroお元気(げんき)ですか。How are you?
  8. Leo元気(げんき)です。I'm fine.
  9. Masako turns to Goro.
  10. Masakoお元気(げんき)ですか。How are you?
  11. Goroおかげさまで。I'm well, thanks.
  12. Goro nods at Leo. He has not touched his coffee.
  13. Goroこんばんは。Good evening.
  14. Masakoまだ朝(あさ)ですよ。It's still morning.

Practice — pick the right hello

Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.

Each one is small, so you move on quickly.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    こんにちは。Drop the English here
    おはようございます。Drop the English here
    こんばんは。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You walk into Kissa Hotaru at two in the afternoon. Masako looks up from the counter.

  4. Find the mistake

  5. Fill the gap

    How are you?

    お元気(げんき)です____。

  6. What does it mean?

    こんばんは。

  7. Pick the reply

    Goro says:

    お元気(げんき)ですか。

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    How are you?

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    Goro asks how you are. Answer warmly and thank him for asking.

  10. Swap the word

    You want to ask Goro how he is. Fix the ending.

    お元気(げんき)です____。

  11. Fill the gap

    I'm fine.

    元気(げんき)____。

Say it — your turn to speak

You are Leo on that first rainy morning. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.

  1. Masakoおはようございます。Good morning.
  2. Leo (you)Say good morning back.

    おはようございます。

    Good morning.

0 of 3 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
こんにちは。Hello.
おはようございます。Good morning.
こんばんは。Good evening.
お元気(げんき)ですか。How are you?
元気(げんき)です。I'm fine.
おかげさまで。I'm well, thanks.
Next: lesson 2Come in, sit down

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these greetings in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.

A short Yak Cards round each morning keeps hello ready at the door.

Open Yak Cards