How to say good morning in Japanese: おはようございます
Good morning in Japanese is おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu), polite. To friends and family, you say the short form: おはよう (ohayō). It works until about 10–11 AM, then you switch to こんにちは. The macron in 'ohayō' marks a long 'o', held twice as long.
おはよう comes from 'お早く' meaning 'early'. So a Japanese person isn't wishing you a good morning, but noting that you got up early. Hence the oddity: on TV and in theater, おはようございます is said at any time of day — there it's a greeting to someone coming on shift.
How to say 'good morning' in Japanese
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning (polite) |
| おはよう | ohayō | Good morning (to friends/family)friends, family, peers |
| おはよっ | ohayo! | Mornin'!very informal, with a clipped ending |
| 早いですねはやいですね | hayai desu ne | You're early todaycommon remark following a greeting |
| よく眠れましたかよくねむれましたか | yoku nemuremashita ka | Did you sleep well? |
Why you can't just say 'ohayō' to your boss
The short form おはよう is 'familiar'. For a boss, teacher, or client, you need the full form: ございます is the part that makes the phrase polite. The rule works in reverse too: if a senior replies to you with a short おはよう, that's normal and not rude.
Until what time do people say 'ohayō'?
- The usual cutoff is 10–11 AM, after which you switch to こんにちは.
- At work with shift schedules, the greeting is tied not to the clock but to the start of the shift: on TV, in theater, and in restaurant kitchens, おはようございます is heard even at 7 PM.
- At school and university, the boundaries are stricter: after the first class, it's already こんにちは.
- In correspondence at night, if you're writing 'good morning' in advance, it's better to add 明日の朝 — otherwise it looks like a mistake.
Say 'ohayō: gozaimasu' out loud
FAQ
How do you say 'good morning' in Japanese?
おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) — polite. To friends and family, the short おはよう (ohayō).
How is it pronounced?
'Ohayō gozaimasu'. The macron in 'ohayō' marks a long 'o', held twice as long. The final 'su' is voiceless, almost like 's'.
Until what time do people say 'good morning'?
Approximately until 10–11 AM. Exception: shift work — there, おはようございます is said at the start of the shift at any time of day.
When can you just say 'ohayō'?
With people close to you: friends, family, peers. For someone older or higher in rank, you need the full form with ございます.
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