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How to Say ‘Nice to meet you’ in Japanese

はじめまして

hajime mashi te

[hah-JEE-meh mah-shee teh]

🇯🇵 In Japan: It is only said the very first time you meet someone, usually followed by your name and then よろしくお願いします.

Phrase Breakdown

はじめ

hajime

[hah-JEE-meh]

for the first time (begin)

Stem of はじめる 'to begin'; here it expresses doing something for the first time, i.e. meeting someone.

Example

はじめて日本に来ました。

I came to Japan for the first time.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

て

[teh]

te-form ending

This ending connects actions, like 'cut and...' in instructions.

Example

てをつけると、つぎのどうさにつなげられます。

When you add -te, you can connect it to the next action.

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