Common casual greetings and their variations in Japanese

Common casual greetings in Japanese include:

• やあ！ (Ya!) — A casual “Hi!” used among friends. It is an informal way to greet close people and grab attention.
• おはよう (Ohayou) — Means “Good morning” and is informal, used with friends and family.
• おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) — The formal version of “Good morning,” used with teachers, bosses, or strangers.
• こんにちは (Konnichiwa) — A common “Hello” or “Good afternoon,” somewhat formal and usually used in semi-formal settings.
• こんばんは (Konbanwa) — Means “Good evening,” used in the late afternoon or evening and is fairly formal.
• おやすみ (Oyasumi) — Informal “Good night.”
• よぉ! (Yo!) — Very casual “Yo!” mostly used by younger people among friends.
• おす! (Osu!) — Casual “Hey!” mainly used among men, often in informal settings.
• もしもし (Moshi moshi) — Typically used when answering the phone between close acquaintances.
• お久しぶりですね (O-hisashiburi desune) — “Long time no see,” used when seeing someone after a while.

These greetings vary in formality and context, with some suited for casual, friendly interactions and others for formal or respectful occasions. For very casual greetings among friends, やあ (Ya), よぉ (Yo), and おす (Osu) are typical, while こんにちは (Konnichiwa) and おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) are safe choices for more polite or formal encounters.

References

• Greetings in Japanese

• 18 Ways to Say Hello in Japanese Like a Native Speaker

• How Do Japanese People Actually Greet Each Other?

• Aisatsu: 10 common Japanese greetings you need to know

• Japanese Greetings: 17 Ways to Say “Hello” in Japanese

• 17 Japanese Greetings For Every Occasion

• Japanese greetings - 10 ways to greet peope you must know

• Common Japanese Greetings and Their Meanings

• “Hi” in Japanese in 7 Different Situations! (Not Konnichiwa)

• Japanese Greetings for Everyday Life

• Greeting in Japanese made easy: Essential phrases for …

• Greetings in Japanese