How to Say ‘Welcome.’ in Japanese
いらっしゃいませ。
irasshai mase
[ee-rah-shy mah-seh]
🇯🇵 In Japan: [いらっしゃいませ] is the standard store and restaurant welcome in Japan. Staff say it to greet you, but customers normally do not answer with the same phrase.
Phrase Breakdown
いらっしゃい
irasshai
[ee-rah-shy]
welcome
A polite shop or restaurant greeting said to customers when they enter.
店に入ると、店員がいらっしゃいと言いました。
When I entered the shop, the staff said, “Welcome.”
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite imperative ending
A very polite ending added to respectful verbs in set expressions like greetings.
店員は笑顔でませを使う形のあいさつをしました。
The staff member used a greeting form with the polite ending in a smile.
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