How to Say ‘Today,’ in Japanese
今日は
kyou wa
[kyoh wah]
💬 Usage Tip: [今日は] is a very common conversation starter. It can mean “today” or work like “Hi, today…” depending on context.
🇯🇵 In Japan: On a first date, starting with [今日は] feels natural and polite—like a soft “So, today…” opener.
Phrase Breakdown
今日
kyou
[kyoh]
today
Noun meaning “today.” Often used with particles like は (as for today) or の (today’s).
今日は初めて会えて嬉しいです。
Today, I’m happy to be able to meet you for the first time.
は
wa
[wah]
(topic marker) as for; regarding
Topic particle. Marks what the sentence is about; often translated as “as for …” or omitted in natural English.
今日は時間ありますか。
As for today, do you have time?
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