Phone calls in Japanese follow strict conventions that even many textbook learners are not prepared for. Japanese phone etiquette is more structured than English — there are specific opening phrases, fixed ways to put someone on hold, standard expressions for bad connections, and proper closing formulas. This guide covers every phrase you need to confidently make and receive phone calls in Japanese.
| Situation | Key Phrase | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Answering (home/personal) | もしもし。 | Moshi moshi. |
| Answering (business) | はい、[会社名]でございます。 | Hai, [company name] de gozaimasu. |
| Asking someone to wait | 少々お待ちください。 | Shōshō omachi kudasai. |
| Transferring a call | おつなぎします。 | Otsunagio shimasu. |
| Ending a call (business) | ありがとうございました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 | Arigatou gozaimashita. Dōzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. |
Yukaもしもし (moshi moshi) is only for personal/informal calls. You would never say it at work or when calling a business. In business contexts, the company name and a polite verb form replaces it entirely. Knowing this distinction immediately makes you sound professional!
Opening a Phone Call
| Context | Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal answer | もしもし。 | Moshi moshi. | Hello? (phone-only greeting) |
| Business answer | はい、既民になっております。 | Hai, osewani natte orimasu. | Hello, thank you for your continued support. |
| Calling someone (personal) | もしもし、私は[名前]ですが。 | Moshi moshi, watashi wa [name] desu ga. | Hello, this is [name]. |
| Calling someone (business) | [会社名]の[名前]ですが。 | [Company] no [name] desu ga. | This is [name] from [company]. |
| Asking for someone | [名前]さんはいらっしゃいますか。 | [Name]-san wa irasshaimasu ka. | Is [name] there? |
Putting Someone on Hold
In Japan, making someone wait on the phone requires a polite acknowledgment. There are two standard phrases depending on how long the wait will be.
| Japanese | Romaji | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 少々お待ちください。 | Shōshō omachi kudasai. | Please wait a moment. (standard hold) |
| お元気でお待ちくださいませ。 | Ogenki de omachi kudasaimase. | Please wait (with formal respect) |
| お待たせいたしました。 | Omatase itashimashita. | Thank you for waiting (after hold ends) |
| 即式に取り次ぎます。 | Sokudo ni toritsugi masu. | I will connect you right away. |
Reiお待たせいたしました (omatase itashimashita) is essential after any wait. Skipping it feels rude in Japanese phone culture. Even if the wait was only 10 seconds, saying it shows you respect the caller’s time.
Dealing With Bad Connections and Misunderstandings
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| もう一度言ってもらえますか。 | Mō ichido itte moraemasuka. | Could you say that once more? |
| 小さいどうぞ⼸かしくて、もう一度おねがいします。 | Chiisai shōka, mō ichido onegai shimasu. | I can’t hear you well, could you repeat? |
| つながりにくいです。 | Tsunagari nikui desu. | The connection is bad. |
| 音声が切れていまして。 | Onsei ga kirete imashite. | The audio keeps cutting out. |
| かけ直します。 | Kakenao shimasu. | I will call back. |
Taking and Leaving Messages
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| よろしかったら、お信けでしょうか。 | Yoroshikattara, otsutae shimashō ka. | Would you like to leave a message? |
| ならば、お信けをおねがいします。 | Naraba, otsutae wo onegai shimasu. | If so, please pass on a message. |
| 절りましたぞ、またお題けします。 | Kashikomarimashita. Mata ohanashi shimasu. | Understood. I will call again. |
| [名前]ねに俲につなぐように伪えてください。 | [Name] ni haya ni tsunagu yō ni tsutaete kudasai. | Please tell [name] to contact me soon. |
Yukaかし⼕まりました (kashikomarimashita) is one of the most polite ‘understood’ expressions in Japanese. It is more deferential than わかりました and is expected in business phone calls when confirming you have understood a request.
Closing a Phone Call
| Japanese | Romaji | Context |
|---|---|---|
| どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 | Dōzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. | Business call closing (looking forward to working together) |
| お電話ありがとうございました。 | Odenwa arigatou gozaimashita. | Thank you for calling (when you are the receiver) |
| それでは、さとはならせていただきます。 | Sorewa, sato wa narashite itadakimasu. | I will be in touch about that. |
| だいじょうぶでしたか。それでは。 | Daijōbu deshita ka. Sorewa. | Was that alright? Goodbye then. |
| はい、それでは。 | Hai, sorewa. | Simple close (yes, goodbye then) |
Quick Quiz
1. What phrase do you say when you answer a business phone (not もしもし)?
→ はい、[会社名]でございます。 (Hai, [company name] de gozaimasu.)
2. How do you ask someone to wait on the phone (politely)?
→ 少々お待ちください。 (Shōshō omachi kudasai.)
3. What do you say after someone has been on hold?
→ お待たせいたしました。 (Omatase itashimashita.)
4. If the connection is bad, what do you say?
→ つながりにくいです。 (Tsunagari nikui desu.) / かけ直します。 (Kakenaoshimasu.)
Want to practice phone conversations with a native speaker? Try an italki tutor and role-play real phone scenarios.
Have you ever had an awkward moment on a phone call in Japanese? What phrase would have helped you most? Share in the comments!
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