How to Say ‘How are you?’ in Japanese
おげんきですか？
o genki desu ka
[oh GEN-kee dess ka]
💬 Usage Tip: Adding か to the end of a polite sentence turns it into a question, the way raising your voice does in English: げんきです "I'm fine" becomes げんきですか "Are you fine?"
🇯🇵 In Japan: It isn't a routine "How are you?" like in English. It's used with someone you haven't seen for a while, not with coworkers you see daily.
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix that makes the expression sound more courteous.
お名前をお願いします。
Your name, please.
げんき
genki
[GEN-kee]
healthy; well; fine
Means being in good health or spirits; a common answer when asked how you are.
わたしは げんきです。
I am fine.
です
desu
[dess]
is; am; are
A polite copula often used at the end of sentences.
これはペンです。
This is a pen.
か
ka
[ka]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.
いいですか。
Is it okay?
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