お疲れ vs お疲れ様 vs お疲れ様でした: What is Difference?
What is the difference between “お疲れ, “お疲れ様” and “お疲れ様でした”? They have subtle differences. Is it really that you can’t use “お疲れ”? What about “お疲れ様“? Let me introduce what their subtle differences are and how you correctly use them such as native speakers today!
お疲れ(otsukare) / お疲れ様(otsukaresama) / お疲れ様でした(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
“お疲れ, お疲れ様 and お疲れ様でした” 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 “お疲れ様でした”. When your friends say to you “お疲れー”, you would answer “お疲れー” the same as “Hi”, and the word of “お疲れー” is basically used for your friends or co-workers who you get along with. When your co-workers And the other meaning of “お疲れ様ー”, you would answer “お疲れ様ー” the same as “お疲れー”. Native speakers don’t usually use “お疲れ様でした” as the meaning of a greeting. However, you would be able to use “お疲れ様です” 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. お疲れ < お疲れ様 < お疲れ様でした.
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 “お疲れ” and “You did well.” which is “お疲れ様” and lastly, “Thank you for your hard work.” which is”お疲れ様でした。”. Although you would be able to use “お疲れ” and “お疲れ様” 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 “お疲れ様でした”.
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 “お疲れ” and “お疲れ様 to only your family, friends, co-workers who you get along with, and “お疲れ様でした” to your boss or elderly people. “お疲れ” which sounds “friendly” is more casual than “お疲れ様” which sounds pretty “kind”. However, if you are a boss, you would use “お疲れ” which sounds “Normal” as a boss and “お疲れ様” which sounds pretty “kind” to your staffs as the meaning of “See you”.








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