How do you say "Good morning." in Japanese?

"Good morning." in Japanese is "おはようございます。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘Good morning.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "おはようございます。" mean in English?

"おはようございます。" means "Good morning." in English. Usage tip: This is the standard polite morning greeting. Use it with teachers, coworkers, neighbors, or anyone you want to be respectful to.

おはようございます。

ohayou gozai masu

[oh-ha-yoh goh-zah-ee mahss]

💬 Usage Tip: This is the standard polite morning greeting. Use it with teachers, coworkers, neighbors, or anyone you want to be respectful to.

🇯🇵 In Japan: In many Japanese workplaces, people say [おはようございます] even when arriving later in the day for a shift. It can mean more than just early-morning "good morning."

Phrase Breakdown

おはよう

ohayou

[oh-ha-yoh]

good morning

The greeting part of the polite expression for saying good morning.

Example

先生におはようとあいさつしました。

I greeted my teacher with "good morning."

ございます

gozai masu

to be; to exist (polite auxiliary in greetings)

A polite expression often attached to greetings and set phrases. Here it makes おはよう more polite.

Example

おはようございます。

Good morning.

Words in this phrase

ござい

gozai

[goh-zah-ee]

to be; to exist (polite/humble form)

Used as part of a very polite fixed expression.

Example

会場にお席がございません。

There are no seats at the venue.

ます

masu

[mahss]

polite verb ending

Makes the expression polite and appropriate for formal situations.

Example

毎日、日本語を勉強します。

I study Japanese every day.

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