How do you say "How are you?" in Japanese?

"How are you?" in Japanese is "お元気ですか。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘How are you?’ in Japanese

Q: What does "お元気ですか。" mean in English?

"お元気ですか。" means "How are you?" in English. Usage tip: Literally, "Are you well?" It is polite and textbook-correct. In daily life, it is often used when you have not seen someone for a while.

お元気ですか。

o genki desu ka

[oh gen-kee dess kah]

💬 Usage Tip: Literally, "Are you well?" It is polite and textbook-correct. In daily life, it is often used when you have not seen someone for a while.

🇯🇵 In Japan: Unlike English "How are you?", [お元気ですか] is not always used as a quick routine greeting. It can sound more genuine or a bit more deliberate.

Phrase Breakdown

お元気

o genki

well; in good health

A polite way to ask or refer to someone's health or well-being. お adds politeness.

Example

お元気ですか。

How are you?

Words in this phrase

お

[oh]

honorific prefix

Makes the following word more polite and respectful.

Example

お仕事は何ですか。

What is your job?

元気

genki

[gen-kee]

well; healthy; energetic

Used when asking or saying whether someone is doing well.

Example

今日は元気です。

I am well today.

ですか

desu ka

are you? / is it?

A polite question ending used to ask for information or confirm something.

Example

元気ですか。

Are you well?

Words in this phrase

です

desu

[dess]

is; am; are (polite)

Polite copula used in many basic Japanese sentences.

Example

私は学生です。

I am a student.

か

[kah]

question marker

Turns the sentence into a polite question.

Example

大丈夫ですか。

Are you okay?

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