The Greetings Textbooks Skip
Most Japanese textbooks start with konnichiwa. But if you watch anime, you’ll quickly notice that characters greet each other in dozens of different ways depending on time of day, relationship, and setting. Here are the greetings that actually matter.
Ohayou — “Good Morning”
Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) — polite Ohayou (おはよう) — casual
The first greeting of the day. Students arriving at school say ohayou to classmates and ohayou gozaimasu to teachers. In My Hero Academia, the difference between how Deku greets All Might versus Bakugo tells you everything about those relationships. In the entertainment industry, ohayou gozaimasu is used as a general greeting regardless of the time of day.
Konnichiwa and Konbanwa — Daytime and Evening
Konnichiwa (こんにちは) — “Good afternoon / Hello” Konbanwa (こんばんは) — “Good evening”
These are real greetings, but they sound formal to Japanese ears. Close friends almost never say konnichiwa to each other. In anime, you’ll mostly hear these between acquaintances or in polite situations. When a character uses konnichiwa with someone they know well, it often signals emotional distance.
Otsukaresama — “Good Work Today”
Otsukaresama desu (お疲れ様です) — polite Otsukare (おつかれ) — casual
One of the most important phrases in Japanese daily life, yet rarely taught in beginner classes. It literally means “you must be tired” but functions as a greeting, a goodbye, and a thank-you for someone’s effort. Office workers say it when leaving work. Students say it after club activities. In Aggretsuko, the characters exchange otsukaresama desu constantly — because that’s exactly how real Japanese offices operate.
Tadaima and Okaeri — “I’m Home” and “Welcome Back”
Tadaima (ただいま) — “I’m home” Okaeri nasai (おかえりなさい) — “Welcome back”
This pair is deeply embedded in Japanese home life. The person arriving says tadaima, and someone already home responds with okaeri or the more polite okaeri nasai. In Spy x Family, these exchanges between the Forger family carry emotional weight because they represent the warmth of a home the characters never expected to have.
Ittekimasu and Itterasshai — “I’m Off” and “Take Care”
Ittekimasu (行ってきます) — “I’m heading out” Itterasshai (いってらっしゃい) — “Go and come back safely”
Another paired greeting, used when someone leaves the house. Ittekimasu literally means “I’ll go and come back.” The response, itterasshai, is a wish for safe return. Anime uses these constantly in morning scenes to establish family dynamics with just two words.
Moshimoshi — “Hello” (Phone Only)
Moshimoshi (もしもし) — phone greeting
This greeting is exclusively for phone calls. Using it face-to-face would be strange. In anime, hearing moshimoshi instantly tells the audience that a phone conversation is happening, even before the phone is shown on screen.
Casual vs. Polite — How Anime Teaches the Difference
Anime naturally demonstrates register shifts. A student says ohayou to friends but switches to ohayou gozaimasu for the teacher. A salaryman says otsukaresama desu to his boss but just otsukare to his colleague. Watching these shifts in context teaches the social rules of Japanese far more effectively than memorizing grammar tables.
Fun Fact
The word moshimoshi originated in the early days of Japanese telephone service. Telephone operators would say mousu mousu (a humble form of “I’m speaking”), which eventually shortened to moshimoshi. It was also believed that foxes and ghosts could not say moshimoshi, so it served as a test to confirm you were speaking with a real person.