Phrases for occasions
Fixed phrases tied to a particular moment: meals, bedtime, the end of shared work, someone heading out, and seeing someone again.
itadakimasu
thanks for the food (before)
いただきます
Said just before you start eating or drinking, alone or with others. It's already a -masu form, so every register uses it unchanged.
uwa, oishisou! itadakimasu!
Wow, looks good! Let's eat!
うわ、おいしそう！いただきます！
oishisou desu ne. itadakimasu.
That looks delicious. Thank you, I'll dig in.
おいしそうですね。いただきます。
Also accepts something offered, like a drink or a sweet: jaa, itadakimasu = 'don't mind if I do'.
Learn alongside: gochisousama
gochisousama
polite gochisousama deshitathanks for the meal (after)
ごちそうさま ごちそうさまでした
Said when you finish eating, and to whoever cooked or paid. To a host or someone who treated you, use gochisousama deshita.
aa, oishikatta! gochisousama!
Ah, that was good! Thanks for the meal!
ああ、おいしかった！ごちそうさま！
oishikatta desu. gochisousama deshita.
That was delicious. Thank you for the meal.
おいしかったです。ごちそうさまでした。
At a restaurant, gochisousama deshita on the way out is the usual thank-you to the staff.
Learn alongside: itadakimasuLearn first: itadakimasu
oyasumi
polite oyasumi nasaigood night
おやすみ おやすみなさい
Said when going to bed, parting late at night, or ending a night-time call or chat. It's only a goodbye, never a greeting.
jaa, mata ashita. oyasumi.
Okay, see you tomorrow. Night.
じゃあ、また明日。おやすみ。
jaa, mata ashita. oyasumi nasai.
Well, see you tomorrow. Good night.
じゃあ、また明日。おやすみなさい。
yasumi means 'day off, break', and its polite version is also oyasumi: ashita yasumi = 'I'm off tomorrow'; ashita oyasumi desu ka? = 'are you off tomorrow?'. oyasumi means 'good night' only at bedtime or when parting at night.
Learn alongside: otsukare, ki o tsukete
otsukare
polite otsukaresama desugood work, thanks
お疲れ おつかれ お疲れさまです
Said to people you work or study with when you finish something together or part for the day. With seniors say otsukaresama desu, or otsukaresama deshita once the work is over.
jaa, kyou wa koko made ni shiyou. otsukare!
Okay, let's call it a day. Good work!
じゃあ、今日はここまでにしよう。お疲れ！
jaa, kyou wa koko made ni shimashou. otsukaresama deshita.
Well, let's stop here for today. Thanks for all your work.
じゃあ、今日はここまでにしましょう。お疲れさまでした。
Comes from tsukareru (get tired). At work it is also a passing 'hi' and the reply to someone who leaves first.
Learn alongside: oyasumi, ki o tsukete
hisashiburi
polite ohisashiburi desulong time no see
久しぶり ひさしぶり お久しぶりです
Greets someone you haven't seen or talked to in a while. It also marks doing something again after a long gap.
hisashiburi! genki datta?
Long time no see! How've you been?
久しぶり！元気だった？
ohisashiburi desu. ogenki deshita ka?
It's been a long time. How have you been?
お久しぶりです。お元気でしたか？
hisashiburi ni + verb means 'for the first time in ages': hisashiburi ni sushi tabeta.
ki o tsukete
polite ki o tsukete kudasaitake care, be careful
気をつけて きをつけて 気をつけてください
Said to anyone heading off (going home at night, driving, on a trip), and as a warning ('careful!'). Adding ne (ki o tsukete ne) makes it warmer.
jaa, mata ashita. ki o tsukete ne.
Okay, see you tomorrow. Take care.
じゃあ、また明日。気をつけてね。
jaa, mata ashita. ki o tsukete kudasai ne.
Well, see you tomorrow. Please take care.
じゃあ、また明日。気をつけてくださいね。
You learn this one as a set phrase. The verb ki o tsukeru comes later (ki o tsukeru) and adds ki o tsukete kaette ne (get home safe) and ki o tsukemasu (I'll be careful). As a warning it's often shouted on its own: abunai, ki o tsukete! To see off a customer or a senior, say oki o tsukete (お気をつけて), often as oki o tsukete okaeri kudasai, because bare ki o tsukete kudasai sounds more like an instruction.