Quick answer: はじめまして (hajimemashite) is a fixed greeting meaning “Nice to meet you” — used when meeting someone for the first time. はじめました (hajimemashita) is the past tense of the verb 始める (hajimeru, to begin/start) — it means “I started” or “I have begun.” They are not interchangeable. One is a social ritual; the other is a verb conjugation.
These two phrases trip up beginners because they look almost identical in romanization. But in Japanese they are completely different in function, grammar, and usage. This guide explains both clearly, shows you the full self-introduction pattern, covers related phrases (はじめましょう, はじめてください), and shows you the common mistakes learners make when introducing themselves in Japanese.
YukaRei, I keep typing はじめました when I mean はじめまして. What is going on?
ReiThis is one of the most common beginner mistakes! They look almost the same, but they’re completely different. はじめまして is a frozen greeting phrase; はじめました is a regular verb in past tense.
At a Glance: はじめまして vs はじめました
| はじめまして | はじめました | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | hajimemashite | hajimemashita |
| Function | Fixed greeting (formulaic expression) | Verb form (past polite of 始める) |
| Meaning | “Nice to meet you” / “How do you do” | “I started / I began / I have started” |
| When used | First meeting only — never repeated | Whenever you want to say “I started X” |
| Grammar | Not a conjugated verb — frozen phrase | 始める → 始め + ました (polite past) |
| Example | はじめまして。田中と申します。 | 日本語を勉強しはじめました。 |
はじめまして — Nice to Meet You
はじめまして is classified as a aisatsu (挨拶, greeting) — a formulaic social phrase that does not conjugate. Its literal meaning is something like “this is the first time” (初めて = for the first time, ます = polite marker, して = te-form), but in practice it functions exactly like “Nice to meet you” or “How do you do” in English — a ritual phrase said when meeting someone for the first time.
The rules of はじめまして
- Only used when meeting someone for the first time.
- Never said to someone you have met before — once only, per relationship.
- Always followed by a self-introduction: your name, affiliation, or reason for meeting.
- The natural response to はじめまして is also はじめまして.
The standard self-introduction formula
| Line | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | はじめまして。 | Nice to meet you. |
| Name | [Name]と申します。 / [Name]です。 | I am [Name]. (formal / casual) |
| Affiliation | [Company/School]の[Name]です。 | I am [Name] from [Company/School]. |
| Closing | どうぞよろしくお願いします。 | I look forward to working with you. / Pleased to meet you. |
- はじめまして。田中さくらと申します。どうぞよろしくお願いします。— Nice to meet you. My name is Tanaka Sakura. I look forward to your acquaintance.
- はじめまして。ABC商事の鈴木です。よろしくお願いいたします。— Nice to meet you. I’m Suzuki from ABC Trading. I look forward to working with you.
- はじめまして。日本語を勉強しているマリアです。よろしく！ — Nice to meet you. I’m Maria, studying Japanese. Nice to meet you!
Casual alternatives to はじめまして
In very casual contexts, especially with peers your age or younger, you might hear shorter versions:
- よろしく！ — Nice to meet you! (very casual)
- よろしくね。 — Nice to meet you. (casual, friendly)
- はじめまして、よろしく！ — Nice to meet you, hi! (casual but complete)
はじめました — I Started / I Have Begun
はじめました is the polite past tense (〜ました form) of the verb 始める (hajimeru), meaning “to begin” or “to start.” It is a completely regular verb conjugation — there is nothing special about it. はじめました simply means “I started [something]” and can follow any noun.
Formation: 始める (dictionary form) → 始め (stem) + ました (polite past) = 始めました
Example sentences with はじめました
- 日本語を勉強しはじめました。 — I started studying Japanese.
- 新しい仕事をはじめました。 — I started a new job.
- ランニングをはじめました。 — I started running.
- 会議をはじめました。 — I started the meeting.
- ピアノを習いはじめました。 — I started learning piano.
- 料理をはじめました。— I started cooking.
Related forms of 始める you should know
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 始める | to begin / to start |
| Polite present | 始めます | will start / I start |
| Polite past | 始めました | started / have started |
| Te-form | 始めて | starting / having started |
| Volitional | 始めましょう | Let’s start / Shall we begin? |
| Request | 始めてください | Please begin |
| Compound | 〜し始める / 〜し始めた | begin to do / began to do (attached to another verb) |
はじめましょう and はじめてください — Starting Things
Two other forms that learners often need:
- はじめましょう — “Let’s begin!” Used by teachers, meeting chairs, or event hosts.
- はじめてください — “Please begin.” Used to give permission or a command to start.
- では、はじめましょう！ — Well then, let’s begin!
- 準備ができたら、はじめてください。 — When you’re ready, please start.
- テストをはじめましょう。 — Let’s start the test.
- いつでもはじめていいですよ。 — You can start whenever you like.
Natural Conversations
Yukaはじめまして！マリアです。日本語を勉強中です。よろしくお願いします。— Nice to meet you! I’m Maria. I’m studying Japanese. Pleased to meet you.
Reiはじめまして！れいです。こちらこそよろしくお願いします。どのくらい勉強してるの？— Nice to meet you! I’m Rei. Likewise, pleased to meet you. How long have you been studying?
Yuka最近、料理をはじめました。なかなか難しいけど楽しい。— I recently started cooking. It’s quite difficult but enjoyable.
Reiそれはいい趣味だね！何を作ったの？— That’s a great hobby! What have you made?
Yukaこの会議、そろそろはじめましょうか。皆さん揃いましたか？— Shall we start this meeting soon? Is everyone here?
Reiあと一人待ってください。では2分後にはじめましょう。— Please wait for one more person. Then let’s start in 2 minutes.
Common Mistakes
Writing はじめました when you mean はじめまして
❌ はじめました。田中と申します。 (unnatural — you are saying “I started, my name is Tanaka”)
✅ はじめまして。田中と申します。
The て vs た ending is the whole difference. て = greeting form (not past tense). た = past tense of a verb.
Saying はじめまして twice to the same person
❌ はじめまして！昨日ぶりですね。 (you met yesterday — はじめまして is wrong)
✅ お久しぶりです。 (It’s been a while — even just one day, if you’re being polite)
✅ また会いましたね。 (We met again)
はじめまして is strictly for first meetings. Once per relationship, never repeated.
Forgetting どうぞよろしくお願いします
In formal introductions, はじめまして alone sounds incomplete. Always close with どうぞよろしくお願いします (or よろしくお願いします / よろしく in casual settings). This phrase completes the greeting and signals warm intent going forward.
Want to practise Japanese self-introductions with a native speaker? italki has tutors ready for 1-on-1 practice.