10 Japanese Business Phrases : Important to Know
Submitted by kwa on Thu, 06/18/2015 - 00:03
10 Japanese Business Phrases: Everyday Workplace Japanese Phrases
I've been working in Japan for the last two years, having a chance to work with multiple companies and get insight on different types of organizations. There's one thing that's certain when working and interacting with Japanese companies besides constantly exchanging business cards, you'll hear the same phrases over and over. Getting down these common expressions really made a difference in my workplace experience. Let's go over 10 common phrases!
We have a cool SlideShare on this blog entry!
Good Morning!
Greetings in the workplace don't get too original.
1.
You will be saying this to every person you meet in the morning. Make sure to greet your boss and clients!
おはようございます！
(Ohayou Gozaimasu!)
We start with a very basic Japanese phrase but one that is essential to everyday work. Everyone in the workplace will generally show up at the same time. Because it's very easy to verify that a train line was running late, there is really no excuse to show up late to work. So every morning, get ready to hear a wave of おはようございます!
Thank You!
The phrase お願いします (Onegaishimasu) by itself signifies a polite request. This is a general response when someone says よろしくお願いします to you. In the everyday workplace, you might not hear the more formal version of 宜しくお願い致します (yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu), but in dealing with clients, this phrase will be the norm. Definitely know this phrase!
2.
You can say this all the time. As a foreigner, a lot of people will try to help you out (hopefully) and you should thank them for every little thing.
ありがとうございます。
(Arigatou Gozaimasu)
This is another basic phrase that you might already know, but is important for everyday workplace manners. You will say this after someone has done something for you, rather than before. Another variation is to use the past-tense version of this phrase - ありがとうございました (arigatou gozaimashita).
It's often nice to watch videos on Japanese people learning English. In this video, Chika-san teaches about how to say our common everyday phrase in English.
3.
This ubiquitous word is going to be used quite often but it's going to be common to say this when you make requests as a thank you in advance. See all the different uses!
よろしくお願いします
(Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu)
4.
When you are thanking your boss for taking care of you, please say this line.
お世話になります。
(Osewa ni Narimasu)
お世話 (Osewa) is a polite term for help or assistance. But お世話になります (Osewa ni Narimasu) is an expression of gratitude. This is not really an everyday phrase but it's a really nice phrase to say to your clients, coworkers, or even doctor. You can also use it in the past-tense: お世話にありました (osewa ni narimashita).
Good Work!
In the popular drama Hanzawa Naoki, you can see an overdramatized version of the workplace themes of uniformity, unity, and high demands for perfection.
5.
You will typically say this to everyone at the end of the day. You will also say it when you see people during the day.
お疲れ様です！
(Otsukare sama Desu!)
If there's just one more phrase you NEED to know, it's this one. But don't worry, your first day on the job you will hear this phrase over and over. There are many meanings for this word such as "good work today" or "we did our best today" but the meaning is sort of lost because this phrase is said so often. Again, this phrase can be used in the past-tense - お疲れ様でした (otsukare-sama deshita). This is your go-to word in the workplace in place of "goodbye"
5b. If you have someone working under you, you have the option of using this term.
ご苦労様です
(Gokurosama Desu)
You might never have to use this term yourself, but I've heard it a few times and it's a good one to know. It basically means the same thing as the last term except generally used from a superior to a subordinate. Using this term incorrectly may offend someone, so it's good to know about it.
Lets Depend on Each Other!
Good work!
6.
If you're going to take on a new project or even if you're just going to start training, let's try to use this phrase.
頑張りましょう！
(Ganbarimashou!)
This phrase means "Let's do our best." You might be familiar with the everyday phrase 頑張れ (Ganbare) which is a nice word of encouragement and translates roughly to mean "good luck." A common everyday phrase I hear is 今日も一日頑張りましょう！(Kyou Mo Ichinichi Ganbarimashou!) which means "Today, let's also do our best!" Work is hard, we need all the encouragement we can get.
7.
If your coworker is going to help you with a big project, you can say this formal phrase.
頼りにします。
(Tayori ni shimasu)
頼り means reliance or dependence so this phrase best translates to "I'll be counting on you." It's a nice phrase when someone is going to help you. Rather than saying, please do your best (the previous phrase), you can use this to indirectly state the same matter.
Pay Attention!
8.
If you're going to write an email informing your supplier of a change in rules, this is a common phrase to start the email.
ご注意下さい。
(Gochuii Kudasai)
This phrase means to take caution or take notice (can be written in just kana alone). I hear this phrase when I cross the street, when there's an alert on the train, or when some announcement is made. Simply put, this phrase is very common. You might recognize ください (Kudasai) is a polite request word, similar to おねがいしす (Onegaishimasu).
Goodbye!
This favorite scene from One Piece is an illustration of idealistic Japanese camaraderie.
9.
If you're going to leave early for the day, or just a bit earlier than everyone else, use this phrase to announce yourself leaving.
お先に失礼します。
(Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu)
お先に (osaki ni) just means I'm going first. 失礼 (Shitsurei) means to be rude or impolite and します (shimasu) takes on the meaning of "to do." So this means literally, "I'm doing a rude thing by leaving early" or more naturally "Please excuse me for leaving early." In Japanese culture, people usually wait until their boss / team is going to leave, even if they have nothing to do. This might bother some people, but it's a common theme of being a single unit in the workplace. But by saying this, I can somewhat get away with leaving early (as I always do).This phrase means to take caution or take notice (can be written in just kana alone). I hear this phrase when I cross the street, when there's an alert on the train, or when some announcement is made. Simply put, this phrase is very common. You might recognize ください (Kudasai) is a polite request word, similar to おねがいしす (Onegaishimasu).
10.
If you're going out to lunch or just going to run a quick errand, it's polite to announce you'll be leaving with this phrase.
行ってきます ・ ただいま戻りました。
(Ittekimasu / Tadaima Modorimashita)
One workplace courtesy I never really got used to was announcing I'm leaving and announcing I'm back; I prefer to be like a ninja. Nevertheless, this is a common workplace courtesy. If you have a Japanese significant other, this is a common line of expressions as well:
- You Leaving: 行ってきます (ittekimasu) I'm leaving.
- Their Response: いってらっしゃい (itterashai) Take care.
- You coming back: ただいま戻りました (tadaima) I have now returned.
- Their Response: お帰りなさい (okaerinasai) Welcome back.
And that's it for me, 行ってきます！
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