LinguaThe two lines of a first meeting
A first meeting has a fixed shape: はじめまして, then your name, then よろしくおねがいします. The last phrase has no equivalent anywhere – it asks the other person to treat you well in whatever is coming, and it closes an introduction, a business email and a first day at work alike. If someone says it to you first, answer こちらこそ and say it back.
Phrases that come in pairs
Half the set phrases of a Japanese household exist in pairs, one for the person going and one for the person staying. いってきます as you leave the door is answered with いってらっしゃい; ただいま on coming home is answered with おかえりなさい. A meal is opened with いただきます and closed with ごちそうさまでした. Learning one of a pair without the other leaves you unable to answer.
| Said by the one who… | Phrase | Answered with |
|---|---|---|
| leaves the house | いってきます | いってらっしゃい |
| comes home | ただいま | おかえりなさい |
| starts eating | いただきます | どうぞ |
| finishes eating | ごちそうさまでした | おそまつさまでした |
はじめまして、たなかですHow do you do, I am Tanaka.
いってきます、おかあさんI am off, mother.
Words in this lesson
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| はじめまして | how do you do | はじめまして、たなかです How do you do, I am Tanaka. |
| よろしくおねがいします | I look forward to our dealings | どうぞよろしくおねがいします I do look forward to our dealings. |
| こちらこそ | the pleasure is mine | こちらこそよろしく The pleasure is mine. |
| いってきます | I am off | いってきます、おかあさん I am off, mother. |
| いってらっしゃい | off you go | いってらっしゃい、きをつけて Off you go, take care. |
| ただいま | I am home | ただいま、つかれました I am home, I am tired. |
| おかえりなさい | welcome home | おかえりなさい、つかれたでしょう Welcome home, you must be tired. |
| いただきます | said before eating | では、いただきます Well then, let us eat. |
| ごちそうさまでした | said after eating | ごちそうさまでした、おいしかったです Thank you for the meal, it was delicious. |
| しつれいします | excuse me for intruding | しつれいします、はいってもいいですか Excuse me, may I come in? |
Exercises
This lesson has 10 exercises in the app:
- multiple choice: 3
- match the pairs: 1
- fill the gap: 2
- build the sentence: 2
- translate the sentence: 1
- listen and type: 1
Try the first one
You are introduced to a colleague for the first time. Which phrase opens what you say?
The answer, the other exercises, the audio and your progress are in the app – free at A0 and A1.