お疲れ vs お疲れ様 vs お疲れ様でした: What is Difference?

お疲つかれ vs お疲つかれ様さま vs お疲つかれ様さまでした: What is Difference?

What is the difference between “お疲つかれ, “お疲つかれ様さま” and “お疲つかれ様さまでした”? They have subtle differences. Is it really that you can’t use “お疲つかれ”? What about “お疲つかれ様さま“? Let me introduce what their subtle differences are and how you correctly use them such as native speakers today!

お疲つかれ(otsukare) / お疲つかれ様さま(otsukaresama) / お疲つかれ様さまでした(otsukaresamadeshita)

Hi Good work, Good job, Thank you for your hard work, See you / 辛苦了, 辛苦你啦, 真是辛苦您了 / 수고, 수고했어, 수고하셨습니다 / Vất vả rồi, Đã vất vả rồi

“お疲つかれ, お疲つかれ様さま and お疲つかれ様さまでした” have a lot of meanings such as ” Hi, Good work or Good job, Thank you for your hard work, See you.”. They have three meanings and the first meaning of them is used as “a greeting” between your friends, family or co-workers which means “Hi. or Hello.” except “お疲つかれ様さまでした”. When your friends say to you “お疲つかれー”, you would answer “お疲つかれー” the same as “Hi”, and the word of “お疲つかれー” is basically used for your friends or co-workers who you get along with. When your co-workers And the other meaning of “お疲つかれ様さまー”, you would answer “お疲つかれ様さまー” the same as “お疲つかれー”. Native speakers don’t usually use “お疲つかれ様さまでした” as the meaning of a greeting. However, you would be able to use “お疲つかれ様さまです” as the meaning of “Hi, or Hello” which is the politest way to use as a greeting for your boss or elderly people who are working with you. お疲つかれ < お疲つかれ様さま < お疲つかれ様さまでした.
　
And the second meaning of them is used as “a compliment” between your friends, family or co-workers which means “Good job. or Good work” which is “お疲つかれ” and “You did well.” which is “お疲つかれ様さま” and lastly, “Thank you for your hard work.” which is”お疲つかれ様さまでした。”. Although you would be able to use “お疲つかれ” and “お疲つかれ様さま” to your friends, family or co-workers, you won’t be able to use it to your boss or elderly people, that is the only “お疲つかれ様さまでした”.

The third meaning of them used as “See you” when getting off work. Although all of them could be the same meaning of “See you”, you would use “お疲つかれ” and “お疲つかれ様さま to only your family, friends, co-workers who you get along with, and “お疲つかれ様さまでした” to your boss or elderly people. “お疲つかれ” which sounds “friendly” is more casual than “お疲つかれ様さま” which sounds pretty “kind”. However, if you are a boss, you would use “お疲つかれ” which sounds “Normal” as a boss and “お疲つかれ様さま” which sounds pretty “kind” to your staffs as the meaning of “See you”.