Japanese workplaces have unique culture and specific expressions you won’t learn from textbooks alone. This guide covers greetings, requests, and key phrases for professional settings.
At a Glance
| Expression | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お疲れ様です | おつかれさまです | Good work / thanks for your hard work |
| よろしくお願いします | よろしくおねがいします | Please take care of this / nice to meet you |
| ご確認ください | ごかくにんください | Please confirm / check this |
| 承知しました | しょうちしました | Understood / noted (formal) |
| 失礼します | しつれいします | Excuse me / I’ll take my leave |
| ご連絡ください | ごれんらくください | Please contact me |
お疲れ様 — The Indispensable Work Phrase
お疲れ様です is used constantly in the workplace as a greeting, farewell, and acknowledgment. It literally means “you must be tired (from your hard work)” — it expresses respect for colleagues’ efforts.
• Greeting a colleague passing in the hall: お疲れ様です。
• When someone finishes a task: お疲れ様でした！
• End of day: お先に失礼します / お疲れ様でした。
よろしくお願いします
This expression is used in many contexts: when starting a new project, making a request, or introducing yourself. It’s incredibly versatile.
Meeting someone new: よろしくお願いします。 — Nice to meet you / I’m in your care.
Sending a document: ご確認のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。 — I would appreciate your review.
YukaWhat’s the difference between 承知しました and わかりました?
Reiわかりました is casual/neutral — used with peers and in everyday situations. 承知しました is the formal business version used when a subordinate confirms instructions from a superior. There’s also かしこまりました — even more formal, used in customer service.
YukaWhen do I say お先に失礼します?
ReiSay お先に失礼します (I’ll excuse myself first) when you leave work before others. It’s polite because leaving before colleagues might seem lazy — this phrase acknowledges that and apologizes gently. Others respond with お疲れ様でした.
5 Practice Sentences
| # | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 資料を送りました。ご確認のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。 | I sent the documents. I’d appreciate your review. |
| 2 | 明日の会議に出席できません。申し訳ありません。 | I cannot attend tomorrow’s meeting. I apologize. |
| 3 | 承知しました。すぐに対応いたします。 | Understood. I’ll address it right away. |
| 4 | お先に失礼します。お疲れ様でした！ | I’ll leave first. Thanks for your hard work! |
| 5 | このプロジェクト、よろしくお願いします。 | I’m counting on you for this project. |
Quick Quiz
1. When do you say お先に失礼します? → When leaving work before colleagues
2. What is a formal way to say “understood”? → 承知しました
3. What does よろしくお願いします express? → Respect, expectation of good relations, or requesting someone’s cooperation
Practice in the Comments!
Try using one of today’s words in your own sentence and post it in the comments! Join the Top Commenters ranking!
Keep Learning: Vocabulary Hub | Office Vocabulary | Greetings Guide
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